Steelers GM Colbert: Work to do to bring back Big Ben

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Ben Roethlisberger continues to be a member of the Pittsburgh Steelers. But regardless of optimistic overtones from each the workforce and its longtime franchise quarterback, Roethlisberger’s return for an 18th season hardly appears to be like like a given.

Whereas stressing Roethlisberger “did a number of actually good issues” in 2020, basic supervisor Kevin Colbert on Wednesday stopped in need of wholeheartedly endorsing the concept of Roethlisberger being within the fold in 2021.

“We now have to do what’s finest for the group, do what’s finest for Ben,” Colbert stated. “However there’s a number of work that must be finished, not solely with Ben however with the entire unrestricted free agent state of affairs.”

The Steelers have 19 gamers heading to free company, together with huge receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster and out of doors linebacker Bud Dupree. That does not embrace perennial Professional Bowl middle Maurkice Pouncey or tight finish Vance McDonald, shut pals of Roethlisberger who’ve retired in current weeks.

Roethlisberger presently holds a $41.25 million salary-cap hit in 2021, the very best of any participant within the league. Each side have taken turns in current weeks speaking about the necessity to decrease that quantity significantly, notably with the Steelers going through the tough prospect of navigating a wage cap that may be $15 million to $20 million lower than in 2020 because of a major decline in gate income because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Compliance would require restructuring among the extra cap-unfriendly contracts and probably chopping a few high-priced veterans, which places Colbert in a good spot.

How does he enhance a roster he admits wasn’t adequate to maneuver past the primary spherical of the playoffs in 2020 with out having cash to maintain his top-end free brokers, not to mention land a number of?

“We’re making guestimates on what we are able to do to place the very best workforce collectively, for our sake,” Colbert stated. “For Ben’s sake, what workforce can he anticipate being round him if we determine we are able to transfer ahead collectively?”

That will not be recognized for some time, which makes for some tough math. Roethlisberger is due a $15 million roster bonus in mid-March, effectively earlier than the draft and simply three days into the league new 12 months. Any settlement probably must be reached earlier than that date, when the roster make-up for 2021 will nonetheless be in flux.

Colbert praised Roethlisberger’s efficiency, notably throughout the workforce’s 11-0 begin. He faltered a bit down the stretch, although Colbert positioned the blame on the complete offense, notably a operating recreation that completed final within the league in each yards dashing and yards per carry. Fixing it’s a precedence no matter who’s behind middle.

“We want to have the ability to end and having a robust operating recreation helps groups end (late within the) 12 months,” Colbert stated.

He made it a degree to reward Roethlisberger’s return following proper elbow surgical procedure that value him most of 2019.

“At first of the 12 months, we talked about watching what he was doing, as a result of he was performing some unbelievable feats as we have been constructing that 11-0 document,” Colbert stated. “A number of that’s acting at essential occasions.”

It fell aside in opposition to the Browns. The Steelers turned it over 4 occasions within the first half whereas falling behind by 28 factors and by no means recovered. That left a bitter style in Colbert’s mouth. Whereas Pittsburgh has reached the playoffs six occasions since dropping to Inexperienced Bay within the Tremendous Bowl a decade in the past, the Steelers are simply 3-6 within the postseason over that span.

“Any season that ends with out a Tremendous Bowl will not be adequate,” Colbert stated. “No matter job I did placing collectively a 53-man roster in these given years was not adequate.”

Colbert will not be getting labored up about his personal contract, which runs by way of the tip of Could. The 64-year-old has hinted at retirement in some unspecified time in the future however demurred when requested about his long-term standing.

“Thankfully (possession is) prepared to work with me on a year-to-year foundation,” he stated. “Fairly frankly that’s all I deserve as a result of we now have to show ourselves each 12 months.”

Colbert expressed confidence in backup quarterback Mason Rudolph, the short-term (and probably long-term) answer if Roethlisberger retires or performs elsewhere, although he stopped in need of promising to signal Rudolph to a contract extension. Rudolph’s rookie deal expires on the finish of subsequent season. Rudolph is 5-4 as a starter and performed effectively within the 2020 regular-season finale in opposition to Cleveland whereas Roethlisberger sat out to relaxation.

“I feel Mason needs to show who he’s,” Colbert stated. “I do know he’d prefer to play extra.”

It may very well be within the preseason — which was worn out final summer season because of the pandemic — or the common season. Or each. For a franchise among the many most secure within the NFL, if not in all of professional sports activities, issues are fluid in methods they have not been for fairly a while.

That fluidity would appear unlikely to incorporate free agent J.J. Watt, whose youthful brothers Derek and T.J. each play for the Steelers. Colbert declined to say the three-time Defensive Participant of the 12 months by title when particularly requested in regards to the workforce’s curiosity in bringing him on. He was extra expansive about probably holding Dupree. The skin linebacker performed on the franchise tag this season and picked up eight sacks earlier than tearing the ACL in his proper knee on Dec. 2.

“We’d like to maintain a Bud Dupree,” Colbert stated. “Not simply because Bud is a particular participant however with Bud and T.J. collectively, they seem to be a particular group.”

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