EMR on Bens contract extension

[Legacy User]

Art Rooney II said he talked to Ben Roethlisberger about the timetable for a contract extension

As it turns out, the Steelers did talk contract this offseason with Ben Roethlisberger. Allow Steelers President Art Rooney II to explain.

“I met with Ben shortly before we did the Maurkice Pouncey signing (in the middle of June) just to make sure Ben understood where we were with our intentions as far as a contract extension for him,” said Rooney. “I just didn’t want him to feel like we were moving ahead with other players without any communication.

“And so I talked to Ben, and then we talked with his agent Ryan Tollner about where we are and the fact we intend on addressing Ben’s contract situation after the season, so that we could address a number of players who were going into their last year in 2014. I think Ben understands that’s our intention and the way we’d like to proceed. I think we had a good conversation.”

The dialogue was initiated by the Steelers so that Roethlisberger and agent Ryan Tollner understood the team’s plan with respect to this offseason’s strategy for signing players, and also understood that the commitment to its franchise quarterback has not wavered.

The Steelers’ philosophy is to extend contracts that have one year to go before expiration, with the exception of quarterbacks, whose deals can be extended two years before expiring. Roethlisberger’s current contract runs through the 2015 season, which made him a candidate for an extension, but circumstances – including the team’s current cap situation, plus the number of players entering the final years of their deals, plus the additional increase in the salary cap anticipated next March – led the team to this strategy.

“Yes, all of those things are factors in the decision,” said Rooney. “The other key thing is that Ben wants to be part of a winning team, to be in a position to compete for championships, and he understands that in order to do that we need to try to keep as many of the other players around as we can. So, addressing the players who are going into the final years of their contracts in 2014 makes sense. That’s what he and I talked about.

“We also talked to Ryan, just so that there was communication with him as well, so that they understood the direction in which we wanted to proceed. We wanted to make sure they were understanding that we do want to make a commitment, that we do want to address Ben’s contract next year. It’s not a situation where we’re saying we want to put it on hold. We did assure him that next year is the time frame in which we want to address it.”

The salary cap jumped by $10 million last March to a total of $130 million per team, and it is expected the cap will increase again in 2015.

“We believe the cap will go up again next year,” said Rooney, “and so from a cap planning standpoint, next year will be a better situation for us to address a franchise quarterback type of contract.”

[R_S]

Thanks for posting. Sounds pretty damn reasonable to me. I have no worries that Ben will be retire a Steeler (Unless he pulls a Favre and tries to play until he's 45)

[Legacy User]

Seems like more of a look into these types of conversations than we usually see from the Steelers brass. I think that speaks for itself.

Makes perfect sense to me and I'm glad to see it articulated to squash the debate.

[Steelafan77]

Love to see Ben achieve League MVP while on they way to a very successful post season going into his last year of his contract.

[Stillerz Bar]

Love to see Ben achieve League MVP while on they way to a very successful post season going into his last year of his contract.

Somehow I don't think the Steelers would mind if he had a monster year. Let's face it, he is already so valuable to them that one more good year doesn't really change much.

Personally, I like reading this and seeing the team articulate things up front so the rumors can be addressed (though the Rap sheet will still make stuff up).

[BethlehemSteel]

You can bet crap report will talk about this and slant it with his usually stinky bumkshit to draw hits and comments

[Legacy User]

But the Rooneys hate Ben! They're trying to get rid of him!

[Legacy User]

But the Rooneys hate Ben! They're trying to get rid of him!

I know of one poster here, that despite what was written and quoted in that article, will still spin it that the Rooney's hate him.

I love Ben. Without him we are still waiting for one for the thumb.

[Kodiak]

Hmmmm....someone (ok, maybe Florio) did speculate PIT is trying to get comments from Ben committing to PIT....and telling a story about how much Ben like PIT and wants to win, laying the foundation for a heavy hometown discount.

When you read these articles from the cynical perspective, it DOES make a lot of sense.

Anyway, I'm sure Ben will take a little less money. He won't go as far as Brady, but I'm thinking maybe $18M per, or pretty much what his cap hit already is. Maybe that's a big discount. Not sure, but there's no rush to do a deal when you're talking the same cap numbers he already has.