The Pittsburgh Steelers could find themselves in a difficult situation with quarterback if the Ben Roethlisberger contract extension doesn't get done.
According to ESPN, no deal is imminent with the two-time Super Bowl champion.
Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger earned a $5 million roster bonus on Friday, which could have served as an artificial deadline for a contract extension with the Pittsburgh Steelers.
But no deal is imminent between the team and Roethlisberger, who has one year left on his current contract. Now that Roethlisberger is locked into the $5 million, both parties can take their time.
Part of the problem with the Roethlisberger deal is the question of payment. When these sides last negotiated, Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers led the league in average payout per year (APY) at $22 million, followed by Atlanta Falcons' Matt Ryan ($20.75 million), former Baltimore Ravens star Joe Flacco ($20.1 million) and New Orleans Saints superstar Drew Brees ($20 million).
So, it would make sense that Roethlisberger would want his proverbial share of the pie. To think that he would take less than a $20 million deal of any kind, especially for a quarterback of his caliber, would be an exercise in futility.
But there just might be a chance of some “room to breathe” after all.
“Roethlisberger also has indicated he is willing to work with the Steelers, telling ESPN in July that it's important as a quarterback to leave money for others, such as center Maurkice Pouncey, his running mate who just signed a two-year, $22 million extension. Before free agency, the Steelers got two of Roethlisberger's trusted linemen, Pouncey and guard Ramon Foster, signed for multiple years. But that doesn't mean the Steelers can bring their coupon book to the table.”
That said, since no deal is imminent on the table for Roethlisberger as of this writing, it will be interesting to see how this all plays out.