For the Pittsburgh Steelers to maximize the next chapter of the Ben Roethlisberger era, they must find a steady operating speed, somewhere between urgency and confidence.
There's no reason to panic or be satisfied.
The clock is ticking on the Roethlisberger window. He is 34 and should have many good years left, but even true NFL iron men have shelf lives. Here’s what general manager Kevin Colbert told ESPN this offseason about Roethlisberger:
"Ben's a franchise quarterback. There are a few that have two [or more Super Bowls since 2004], but he's one of those few. We're very fortunate. We still have, you know, we think three to four more good years in his prime. We're excited to see what he can do in that time period and what we can do to help him be successful."
Here are five areas where Colbert and Co. can do just that:
Fewer Cortez Allens, more Cameron Heywards: The defensive rebuild has been a prominent theme the past two years. During that time, the Steelers rewarded two in-house defensive players from the 2015 roster with lucrative contract extensions -- cornerback Allen (four years, $24 million) and defensive end Heyward (six years, $59 million).
Heyward was one of the Steelers’ most productive defenders last season. Allen was cut last week.
To be sure, the Steelers couldn’t have envisioned Allen’s knee issues when they re-signed him two years ago. But imagine the roster flexibility for the Steelers if the cornerback they paid big money to was healthy and productive?
So, the Steelers are 1-for-2 in this area. There will be more decisions on defense, starting with Jarvis Jones, Ryan Shazier and Stephon Tuitt. The Steelers must bat higher than .500 on players they re-sign to big money.
Keep bloated contracts for aging players to a minimum: Contrary to the Steelers’ rep as salary-cap floor-huggers, they’ve actually done a good job of keeping the bottom line fairly manageable. Linebacker Lawrence Timmons is the only non-quarterback older than 27 making more than $10 million a year. The Steelers can rework his $15.1 million cap number into a multiyear extension if they choose. Roethlisberger, Antonio Brown and maybe a few others can justify big money at an older age. Otherwise, the Steelers should continue to counterbalance by drafting low-priced rookies who produce on the field.
Solidify the No. 2 receiver plan: Brown should be in Pittsburgh for a while, but the Martavis Bryant suspension complicates the big picture at receiver. Is Markus Wheaton ready to enhance his role? What will Sammie Coates do with his big chance? This offense provides plenty of chances for receivers, so there's no reason a starter can’t catch 60 to 70 passes alongside Brown. Creating an identity at this position will be huge for the next few years. Wheaton has the most incentive, with a potential contract extension looming, for a breakout.
Keep the coaching staff intact: This is a really good staff. Todd Haley and Mike Munchak are former head coaches who have done terrific jobs on offense. Roethlisberger has never looked more comfortable in the pocket. Receivers coach Richard Mann has guided several productive pass-catchers. The defensive staff appeared to find a rhythm late last season. Keeping much of this group intact will bode well for future success.
Duplicate the O-line draft plan at another position: The Steelers loaded up on the offensive line with several top draft picks in recent years, resulting in one of the league's highest payrolls for the position ($28 million) and also one of the league's most consistent units. "Pricey" has a good connotation here. Retooling that stockpiling method for the secondary could serve the Steelers well as they look to fill two positional vacancies.
