3 biggest offseason questions Pittsburgh Steelers need to answer

1. What is Ben Roethlisberger worth at this stage of his career?

Roethlisberger’s flaws were on full display in the team’s loss against Cleveland. His declining arm strength makes him a massive liability when Pittsburgh wants to throw the ball with precision down the field. He still shows good touch on both his short balls and deep throws, but it’s tough to base a super-efficient offense on his skill set.

It’s obvious Roethlisberger isn’t worth the $41.25 million cap hit his current contract would assign to the Steelers next season. The question the team needs to answer is just how much they are willing to commit to keeping Big Ben in 2021 and beyond.

There’s no guarantee the team and Roethlisberger will agree to his future value. Any disagreement could cause the Steelers to make a big change at the quarterback position. Simply put, that should be an acceptable outcome for the team’s front office. Sentiment can’t be a big factor in these negotiations.

That does not mean Roethlisberger should be jettisoned at all costs. If he’s willing to come back at a discount and serve as a mentor to a new quarterback of the team’s future then he should be permitted to do so. That would be a drastic philosophy change for Roethlisberger, but perhaps he’s more ready to pass the torch now given his obvious decline in skills.

Change is coming for the Steelers at quarterback. It’s just a question if when. Roethlisberger’s willingness to take a big pay cut will determine how many years he has left in Pittsburgh.