Both Ben Roethlisberger and the Pittsburgh team are clear that the current impact on the $ 41.2 million salary ceiling would make it impossible to keep it for next season.
PITTSBURGH – Ben Roethlisberger want to return to Pittsburgh Steelers for the 2021 season, and he is ready to do “everything” to help the team despite his huge impact on the 2021 salary ceiling.
With an expected drop in the salary ceiling next year due to lost earnings during the COVID-19 pandemic, the blow to the salary impact of Roethlisberger $ 41.2 million for the next season is impossible, a topic that the quarterback and the president and CEO, Art Rooney II, they seem to agree.
“I want to do everything I can and I made it very clear from the start that my idea was to help the team in any way I could this year,” he said. Roethlisberger a The Athletic.
“Ben you want back ” Rooney Thursday afternoon about his seasonal Zoom conference call. “We left that door open.
“I think we’ve been honest with it Ben by letting him know we couldn’t get him back under his current contract. I think you understand we have some work to do here. We will have more conversations internally, and we will have more conversations with BenAnd we need to know what that last salary cap is to finalize some of those decisions. ‘
Roethlisberger He added, “I don’t care about my salary at all this year!”
After a defeat in the Wild Card round in front of Cleveland Browns, RoethlisbergerThe 38-year-old said he would talk extensively with his family before making a concrete decision to return in 2021, but said he hoped Steelers they would want him back if he did. They will give Rooney and the team a chance to write their own final after a legendary race?
“With BenWe need to have a conversation with him about how he wants to finish his studies, and we want to. ‘
To get relief below the salary ceiling and to give Roethlisberger at least one more season to finish on its own terms, the Steelers they could ask the quarterback to accept a pay cut in the last year of their contract. The Steelers They’ve already deducted $ 22.25 million from their contract, leaving just $ 19 million – $ 4 million in base salary and a $ 15 million employee bonus – that will allow them to work on cuts or restructuring. The most likely option is an extension and restructuring that will send some of that impact into the 2022 season.
“I think these are discussions we will have with Ben and their representatives, ”he said Rooney of the possibilities to change the contract Roethlisberger. “It takes two to figure that out, and if we can agree on what you want, we’ll just have to see it.”
As things are now Steelers They have three quarterbacks on the roster for the 2021 campaign: Roethlisberger, Mason Rudolph and the one just signed Dwayne Haskins Jr. But, Rooney He admitted they need to add one more quarterback, potentially allowing them to bid on one of the big names expected to become available, if they can properly configure the salary cap.
“I think if you look at our group, we will add someone to that unit during the off season,” he said. Rooney. “We are going to explore all opportunities, we must do that.”
Determine the future of Roethlisberger is just the first step in many difficult decisions for Steelers in the campaign cutout.
The contract for general manager from year to year Kevin Colbert will end after draft, and while Rooney noted that both have had many discussions about the future of Jacket, nothing is official.
“I feel that Kevin goes back, but nobody knows, ”he said Rooney.
The head coach’s contract Mike Tomlin In any case, go through the 2021 season with an option for the 2022 campaign and when evaluating your head coach Rooney said believe that Tomlin will lead the team in the future.
“We will handle the contract Mike with him as time goes on in the off season, “he said.” I will only say that I feel comfortable saying that he will be our future coach. … As for the work he did, we didn’t finish the way we wanted. The playoff game, it’s hard to analyze … just play the ball like that, you’re not going to win too many games. I don’t know how that is attributed to the preparation of the coaches. I think the team has started that game prepared. “
Rooney He also said that if it were up to him, he would participate in the 2021 campaign with the same roster as in 2020.
“If I had my way, and I said I could have the same team as last year, I would,” he said. “This is clearly not the case.”
With the team’s salary cap – the Steelers are estimated to be about $ 30 million over the limit with 48 players signed, according to the ESPN’s roster management system– re-hire agents for free, such as Bud Dupree Y JuJu Smith-Schuster it will be difficult, if not nearly impossible.
“It’s fair to say it’s going to be the toughest salary cap challenge we’ve had in a long time, maybe ever,” he said. Rooney.
But the first step before deciphering the rest of the squad is determining the future of Roethlisberger.
If you are immediately asked if you want me to come back Roethlisberger, Rooney He paused, then said he wanted him back, but offered no guarantees about the quarterback’s future.
“I think we would like to see it Ben another year back if it can work, “he stressed.” But, as we have said, many things have to happen for that to happen; maybe decisions have to be made on both sides to make it happen. “