Roethlisberger Suspension

There was some talk that the Steelers would move Roethlisberger if they could land a talented prospect in exchange for him, but with the first round of the NFL draft having come and gone, that scenario seems less probable now. On the one hand, it isn't likely that you'll be able to get equal value when you give away a quarterback with Ben's mobility, arm, age and resume. On the other, if Steelers management is going to factor in Santonio Holmes' questionable behavior into his trade to the Jets, I don't see how they can't consider doing the same with a case involving a possible serial rapist.



Certainly, common belief is that wide receivers are replaceable, while quarterbacks - especially those of Roethlisberger's caliber - are not. Fair enough, but keeping him on the roster does nothing for a franchise that reportedly is concerned about cleaning up its image. Yet purely from a football standpoint, you can't justify moving Big Ben without getting a substantial package in return. If I'm Pittsburgh, I'm swallowing that 6 game suspension and giving Roethlisberger a chance to avoid that 3rd strike. As a fan, it's tough to continue rooting for a guy who's clearly something of a dick off the field, but who knows? Maybe having $2.8 million shaved of your salary is enough to get you to turn over a new leaf. But maybe not. I still feel that if the Steelers franchise wants to compete for titles in the future, Roethlisberger is the guy to take them there. For better or worse, that may be the bottom line.

In unrelated news, the Suns/Blazers game is getting that semi-matinee treatment on Saturday, so I'm going to be watching the game at 5:30 in the morning on Sunday down here. You do what you gotta do.