The Steelers do not expect quarterback Ben Roethlisberger to retire this year, as he mused about doing at the end of the postseason, but they do expect to make plans to be without Roethlisberger some day.
Steelers General Manager Kevin Colbert said today that he believes Roethlisberger is the Steelers’ starter for 2017 but also believes the franchise needs to know what it will do at quarterback once Big Ben is gone.
“You should have a successful quarterback plan in place,” Colbert said, via the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
That plan may include keeping backup quarterback Landry Jones for years to come. Although Jones becomes a free agent next month, Colbert confirmed that the Steelers will try to re-sign him. Colbert also said the Steelers will add a quarterback, although he appeared to be referring more to a long-term future project than someone they’d expect to play in 2017.
“We’d like to have Landry stay in the mix,” Colbert said. “Will we add a guy? Absolutely. When? It’s hard to say. Sooner or later we will have to address that.”
Given the way Roethlisberger has talked about his future, it could be sooner rather than later. But it probably won’t be this year.
