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Once I learn Kevin Colbert’s quote on Wednesday concerning the standing of quarterback Ben Roethlisberger’s future, my antenna went up.
“As we sit here today, Ben is a member of the Pittsburgh Steelers.”
Nicely. That got here off as, um, non-committal, to say the least.
However after I noticed the video and heard the Pittsburgh Steelers GM’s voice, it sounded extra like a reminder Roethlisberger hadn’t been lower. But.
Or perhaps it was a heads as much as Roethlisberger and his representatives that the notion of transferring on from No. 7 isn’t a wholly distant idea for Steelers brass.
Both manner, the quarterback’s scenario is all anybody needed to speak about Thursday. And I perceive why. However now that we’ve had a day to digest that matter, let’s get to some different essential points that Colbert addressed in a little bit submit we’ll name, “The whole lot However Ben.”
11-and-Oh, no!
Upon additional assessment, I wasn’t the one one seeing storm clouds on the horizon when issues had been beginning to slide regardless of the Steelers’ 11-0 begin. Colbert felt that manner, too.
“To come back out of the gates nearly as good as we did and hit that 11-0 mark, solely to fall within the first spherical of the playoffs, it was very disappointing. We must be judged on how we end the season and never about how we did throughout the season. Even once we had been on the 11-0 mark, I by no means actually had a consolation stage as a result of I knew we might decide ourselves — and can be judged accordingly from the skin — about how we did within the playoffs.”
I believe I’m simply going to fireplace up the time machine and produce this quote again with me to early December after the Steelers had barely gained the “Covid Bowl” against the Baltimore Ravens, and lost at home to Washington.
I bought numerous emails and tweets saying, “Don’t you assume you’re being too arduous on them? That is only a lull!”
Seems like Colbert was fairly positive the “lull” was going to final awhile, too.
Run recreation rant
Colbert was sad along with his workforce’s Thirty second-ranked run recreation on offense at simply 84.4 yards per recreation. And rightfully so.
“It’s a collective effort. You’ll be able to’t say the runners weren’t adequate. Or the quarterbacks weren’t adequate. Or the road wasn’t adequate. To place out the sort of operating recreation we did, nobody was adequate. And once more, that could be a collective effort. We must be higher fairly truthfully … we have to end. And I believe having a robust operating recreation helps groups end in that point of 12 months.”
I get what Colbert was saying. And I agree 100%. I simply would’ve most popular he phrase it in another way.
Since you can say the runners weren’t adequate. You can say the quarterbacks weren’t adequate. You can say the road wasn’t adequate. And that’s why ultimately it was, certainly, a “collective” failure.
And I’d’ve slightly heard Colbert say it precisely that manner.
In the long run, he and I are saying the identical factor. However for my part, the fixed effort from the teaching workers and entrance workplace to carry nobody individually accountable and easily sluff off the shortcomings of the workforce to a “collective” disappointment is an enormous a part of the issue.
Yeah, I get it. The Steelers, as a complete, failed. The operating recreation, as a complete, failed. But when nobody is made to really feel personally accountable on a person stage — even a selected place group — there may be much less motivation to enhance. Or much less worry to fail once more.
You positive about this one, Kev?
Colbert insists that the Steelers will proceed their coverage of refusing to renegotiate participant contracts throughout the season.
“I believe we are going to proceed to try this. As soon as we begin enjoying a season, our solely focus must be the upcoming recreation with the final word aim of successful a season. When particular person negotiations are occurring throughout a season, we view that as a distraction and we are going to by no means let that be a part of it as we attempt to put collectively a workforce and a philosophy as to getting the most effective workforce on the market.”
This coverage has by no means bothered me all that a lot. And I’m not postpone by the quote. I simply assume it’s humorous that Colbert — of all individuals — is apprehensive about that as a “distraction.”
This is identical man who scoffed on the membership’s “Team Turmoil” tag just a few years in the past. He made it sound like Martavis Bryant’s suspensions, and Le’Veon Bell’s absence, and Antonio Brown’s sideline outbursts and late arrivals, and the nationwide anthem fiasco, and the rub between Roethlisberger and Todd Haley had been all media creations.
But when Mike Hilton or Cameron Sutton had gotten a mid-season extension as an alternative of hitting free company, that woulda been chaos? Actually?
By the way in which, if Roethlisberger doesn’t play this 12 months and Rudolph begins and succeeds, verify again with me on this. There’s no manner he’s hitting free company. They’ll lock him up midseason for positive.
There’s precedent for it, too. Keep in mind Tommy Maddox? They broke a policy to extend his contract forward of the 2004 season earlier than it was because of be reconfigured. They’ll do it once more another way for Rudolph if crucial.
Tag! You’re NOT it
Colbert was requested if there may be any likelihood of utilizing a “tag” on any of the membership’s free brokers. Presumably, meaning both a franchise tag or transition tag. Both manner, Colbert says, don’t maintain your breath.
“It’s uncertain that we can use a tag. Once more, once we say we don’t know what the cap is, what we attempt to do is put together for the worst scenario.”
That “worst scenario” is now about $180 million per workforce. And, possible, the quantity gained’t be rather more than that. So, this information from Colbert isn’t an enormous shock. However given the knee injury to Bud Dupree and a few recent scuttlebutt regarding JuJu
However it doesn’t sound like that’s going to occur. Nor ought to it. Dupree would make $18.9 million on a tag. Smith-Schuster may get between $15.8 million and $16.4 million.
Feeling a draft
Right here is one ultimate newsworthy nugget from Colbert concerning the draft. Particularly, concerning the offensive line.
“The draft itself, it’s stronger on the sort out place than it’s on the inside. Middle and guard, historically, should not a really robust group. The tackles are unusually deep this 12 months. I believe we will add gamers by means of the draft. Hopefully, we can do some kind of enterprise in free company.”
Translation? Search for a middle to be signed in free company to interchange Maurkice Pouncey. And search for a sort out to be drafted within the first spherical.
Or, if the tackle depth really is that deep, perhaps the Steelers can be tempted to attend till the second spherical to pick out a participant at that place (as they’ve regularly carried out with huge receivers) and draft a operating again, cornerback or — dare I say it — a quart….
Nah. I’ll save that thought for a column down the road. In any case, “as we sit right here in the present day” the Steelers nonetheless have a clear-cut starter on the place.
Tim Benz is a Tribune-Evaluate workers author. You’ll be able to contact Tim at tbenz@triblive.com or by way of Twitter. All tweets could possibly be reposted. All emails are topic to publication except specified in any other case.
Classes:
Sports activities | Steelers/NFL | Breakfast With Benz
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