Ben Roethlisberger and I met yesterday morning.

We had a productive meeting.

We were able to discuss a lot of things that relate to where we are and where we want to go, then assured me that he has committed to coming back to help us win on.

I told Ben that we would like to have him back to help us win a championship.

We both understand the next step is to work out Ben's contract situation.

So those air from Art Rooney and those are literally coming in as we speak.

Those as I read those to you were the first time I've heard them.

So Dan Graziano, when you hear that, my insider, what should we take away from that?

Well, if they if they really wanna work out the contract situation, it could take about five minutes.

I'll do it for them.

He's not scheduled to make 41.25 million this year.

That's his cap hit.

He's scheduled to make 19 million this year.

The rest is left over charges from previous contract stuff.

So if you want to take that 19 million convert, all of it into a signing bonus other than the minimum salary, which for him will be 1.75 Extend the deal out four more years and have it automatically void after this year.

Now you've got the cap it down to about $27 million.

That's it.

The only other option, if he wants to be on the team, is if he gives them money back.

If he does not take all of that 19 million that is owed to him this year, and that would be a drastic and somewhat unprecedented step for a quarterback has accomplished as he is, if he's willing to knock that number down or get rid of it entirely, all with the minimum salary, then they could save even more.

But again, I think that would be pretty surprising.

Wait, Dominic, before I let you go, let me just quickly confirmed what they were talking about.

Dan Graziano that would knock down the cap hit or it would just knock down the money he would get well, both.

I mean, right.

It would knock down if he were to take a full on pay cut to the minimum cell again.

This is fantasyland that former president of the NFLPA is there shaking his head, and justifiably so.

But that would take it down.

Lucky we're not save about 17 million instead of about 14 million.

That's how the math works.

But again, that's a big if.

I think what happens is the first thing I said, a restructure and extension that saves them about Welby.

14.34 million this year.

Okay, go ahead.

That is not even on the table giving money back.

Like you say.

A lot of things that that that get under my skin and we all are going here in good fun and good fun.

But that's the first time you said anything that actually made me really angry like No, do not even suggest that.

Don't put that on the table.

That somebody's gonna be given some money back.

You guys can work around the cap hits anyway, You wanted the point that you made.

I thought it was a good one.

But part of it you left out is if they do extend him, convert his salary some of the salary to sign his bonus in extend him and advertise that costs over the next several years.

Like then, he will be a drag on their salary cap once he is off the team.

So there are not only making decisions that will affect this year's team if they do something like that, those are limitations that will affect the team after he's gone.

So these are all things they have to consider that it's a risk worth taking a thing worth doing.

If you think you are about to win a championship, if you don't, then I think it's a It's a interesting decision that you have to make with one of your legends or with your legendary quarterback, two time Super Bowl champ.

I'm not sure I would advise them to do any of that.

I'm certainly not advising anybody to give back some money that's foolish down real quick.

Just so people just so people know I've done the math on this.

If they do the full on maximum voidable years extension, they would say 14.34 million on this year's cap.

But they would carry a 14.34 million charge for him on next year's cap, assuming he retires in the contract void.

So that's the effect.

It would have beyond this year that Dominique is talking about.

Alright.

So Tory Let let's let's put some football into the football conversation here because, assuming they can figure out the money.

One of the questions you ask yourself is, At what point do you need to start addressing my future at quarterback?

Are the Steelers as constituted now with a couple of realistic moves that could make this offseason?

And Ben Roethlisberger is their quarterback?

Are they a contender toe win a championship in the near future?

Tory, Yes or no?

With Ben Roethlisberger there, you always stand a chance with Mike Tomlin leading his team.

Now I will say this the best option, regardless of free agency or the draft for this season, is a cheaper Ben Roethlisberger, so they will work out something that fits the salary cap.

But going forward, they're gonna have to draft a quarterback, and they've been trying on the back end of rounds.

But it hurts you when you're a decent team.

In terms of find that franchise guy early, you're gonna have to develop that guy, but they do have Dwayne Haskins, who's going to get a second chance of Pittsburgh, so we'll see what he can grow and develop into.

But you have to make that decision now because you're talking about a quarterback who's flirted with retirement for the past two years.

So you don't want big men to leave.

Not only a huge hit, your salary kept going forward, but also avoid at the quarterback position.

So you have to address that at some point this year in the draft.

All right, something to keep an eye on.

But again, that's new information.

Art Rooney.

Those quotes just came into our newsroom literally moments ago.

We will see all signs do point towards Roethlisberger playing at least one more year in Pittsburgh.

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