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The Steelers, fully aware that they may not have enough around quarterback Ben Roethlisberger to justify bringing him back for another year, suddenly seem ambivalent about an ongoing relationship. So if (and still is quite a big if) the Steelers decide to sever ties with Big Ben, he will become a free agent.
The question then is whether he would continue his career with another team.
It is a subject he never addressed. It is a subject that, before Wednesday’s comments by GM Kevin Colbert, was never relevant. Now, it is approaching that category.
If Ben was willing to explore another year or two with another team, the question then would be whether another team would want it. Myles Simmons and I spit on the various options on Thursday PFT Live.
The only potentially viable options, now that the Colts are engaged, appear to be these: Jets, Patriots, Texans (if they trade Deshaun Watson), Broncos, Raiders (if they trade Derek Carr, which seems highly unlikely), Cowboys (if they let Dak Prescott walking), Washington, Bears, Panthers, Saints, 49ers and Seahawks (if they trade Russell Wilson, which seems highly unlikely). This is the broadest universe of indisputably realistic possibilities.
Still, it’s hard to imagine a race for the land coming up for a quarterback who turns 39 on March 2.
In fact, if it were believed that several teams would claim a quarterback who is expected to win just $ 19 million this year, Colbert’s remarks on Wednesday would generate discussions about a possible Roethlisberger switch. The fact that there were no such reports suggests that if the Steelers cut Ben, the market may not be very robust.