Tim Benz: Ben Roethlisberger’s new contract may not be the big picture some expect

Tim Benz: Ben Roethlisberger’s new contract may not be the big picture some expect

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Let’s iron out the workings of mechanics as we talk about Ben Roethlisberger’s new Pittsburgh Steelers contract. Then we will know what it all means.

Because the words we use – and how we chose them – to describe Big Ben’s big decision are important to set up the team’s free agency properly.

Most of the major NFL salary branches and NFL insiders agree on the reconfigured money and language in Roethlisberger’s contract.

Roethlisberger would have earned $ 19 million in real money this season before Thursday’s news. Now he will pay out $ 14 million.

If people say he’s taking a $ 5 million pay cut and helping the team from a cash and awards standpoint by going through four worthless years, that’s all true.

Roethlisberger is doing a good thing here.

But before we give Big Ben a humanitarian grant, let’s understand that he also protects $ 14 million against the forfeiture of $ 5 million in cash. Because if he did not agree to cut his salary to a certain extent, the Steelers would be forced to cut him completely.

The quarterback actually eats $ 5 million so he can still earn $ 14 million. On top of that, it buys a large dose of goodwill in Pittsburgh. Not a bad price for someone who has already earned $ 253 million in career earnings.

Furthermore, these are not exactly unprecedented things. Back in 2015, Peyton Manning did the same – with very similar dollar amounts – in Denver. The destruction of void years in the agreement is also not a major risk to a man who is unlikely to play anywhere other than Pittsburgh or outside of this contract.

But this is just a small cash exchange between a multi-billion dollar franchise and its quarter-billion dollar employee.

The right number that matters is the $ 15 million released amount for this year.

For this year.

It seems that no one wants to talk about the $ 10.3 million that will still count against the books next year if Roethlisberger retires before 2022. This is not an overwhelming amount. But it will be there.

At least the Steelers are no longer in ‘cap hell’ now. In fact, using OverTheCap.com’s estimated $ 180 million league ceiling, it’s currently $ 3 million off the threshold.

With the future restructuring of other veterans, the Steelers do not have to remove as many people from their route as was the case a few weeks ago.

But some of the dialogues yesterday began to wander into the hyperbole. Suddenly, there seems to be an atmosphere in the city that Kevin Colbert, general manager, can start spending like a drunken sailor because Roethlisberger’s deal is complete.

If you go to Twitter now, it seems that Steeler Nation believes that:

• The franchise can now retain JuJu Smith-Schuster and / or Bud Dupree.

• They will sign one of the two or both Matt Feiler and Alejandro Villanueva along the offensive line.

• They will retain free agents Cameron Sutton, Mike Hilton and Tyson Alualu in defense.

• They do not have to cut Joe Haden, Steven Nelson or Vince Williams.

• They will be able to add even further by including a center in a free agency to replace the retired Maurkice Pouncey.

This is simply not the case. At least not until they get considerable space from many more restructurings. And even then, it’s still optimistic, unless the roof’s recent forecasts are remarkably low.

Remember, Roethlisberger’s capitalization is still $ 25.9 million. His death toll if he had been cut would have been $ 22 million. In essence, the Steelers say Roethlisberger is worth more than $ 4 million in the space dollar on the roster, as opposed to the pinch he would feel through his absence.

It’s not much. And if I put it that way, I agree. I think. Although Roethlisberger’s last six weeks of 2020 keep me quiet.

Especially since it was a pretty clear opportunity for the Steelers to hold on to at least one more player if Roethlisberger were to be cut and begin a much-needed rebuilding process, while also looking at whether Mason Rudolph has been worth the past year. keep. of his contract as well.

Part of the narrative in recent weeks has been that Colbert could have placed a better product around Roethlisberger if he had taken a pay cut. I’m sorry, but I do not see how these mass additions are going to happen. I just see it as a way to avoid multiple deductions.

I still argue that the best scenario is to keep last year’s team together as much as possible. That’s it. And based on how this club fished to the finish line in 2020, how good will it really be?

Those who want Roethlisberger to have a winning round of a season have got their wish. Those hoping for significant Steelers change have not done so. And those who think that Roethlisberger’s restructured contract will lead to drastic improvements are joking themselves.

But I think the $ 5 million that Roethlisberger left behind bought something else from the fanbase, other than benevolence.

A healthy dose of blind faith.

Tim Benz is a staff writer for Tribune-Review. You can contact Tim at [email protected] or via Twitter. All tweets can be re-posted. Unless otherwise stated, all emails are subject to publication.

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Sport | Steelers / NFL | Breakfast with Benz

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