Steelers Rumors: Kendrick Green authorizes Big Ben slander, QB turned OL, position battle settled

Steelers Rumors: Texans GM defends Kendrick Green against Ben Roethlisberger

The Steelers traded OL Kendrick Green to the Houston Texans in exchange for a sixth-round pick ahead of Tuesday's roster deadline. The move surprised fans on both sides. Pittsburgh fans were elated to squeeze value out of a training camp disappointment. Houston fans, meanwhile, were left scratching their heads as to why the team traded for a training camp disappointment.

Green, a third-round pick at center in the 2021 NFL Draft, started 15 games as a rookie. He then missed all of last season due to injury. Ben Roethlisberger famously put Green on blast when the Steelers experimented with him at fullback in camp.

"They drafted that guy to be my center," Roethlisberger said derisively on his 'Footbahlin Podcast' earlier this summer. "And now they have him playing a little bit of fullback."

Big Ben went on to defend Green as a person and walk back the more acidic nature of that particular statement, but it doesn't take a literature phD to read between the lines there. Roethlisberger openly contested Kevin Colbert's decision to select Green.

Then, after the Steelers' second preseason game, coach Mike Tomlin flatly called Green "not good enough." It's only natural for the Texans fanbase to be a bit bewildered by the decision to trade for a guy who appeared destined for the cutting room floor.

When Houston GM Nick Caserio addressed the press following the trade, he was more than willing to defend his actions.

"He actually played probably more competitive than people think," he told reporters. "I know there’s some commentary made about him, specifically from the guy that played quarterback there."

Well... shots fired.

Caserio went on to note the extensive work Houston did on Green prior to the 2021 draft. He's a player that front office has been eyeing for a while and this was the perfect opportunity for the Texans to strike on a perceived hidden gem. It's only a sixth-round pick and Green is still 24 years old, so there's definitely a future timeline where this all works out in Houston's favor.

Sometimes, all a player needs is a change of scenery and the confidence of his peers, which Green clearly did not have in Pittsburgh. Maybe it all clicks in Houston.