Steelers willing to bring Ben Roethlisberger back with lower salary-cap hold

Ben Roethlisberger told the Steelers that he wants to return for another season, and it sounds like Pittsburgh is open to that happening, provided that the veteran quarterback is willing to work toward a solution to lower salary-cap hold. Steelers owner Art Rooney II told reporters that the team can't afford Roethlisberger at his current salary and that the quarterback is aware that the team is expecting him to take a pay cut if he wants to return to Pittsburgh.

Currently, Roethlisberger's cap number for 2021 is set to be $43 million, making him one of the highest-paid quarterbacks in the league and putting the Steelers in a position where they would have a difficult time re-signing key players or signing new players in free agency. 

The team may be able to reduce Roethlisberger's cap hit without necessarily paying him less money. Pittsburgh could conceivably sign him to a contract extension that would make his roster bonus a signing bonus instead. Presumably, it's a problem that the two sides will be able to figure out, assuming that the Steelers are seriously committed to their longtime quarterback. 

Bringing back Roethlisberger at a reduced cap hit makes sense for the Steelers. It will give them time to figure out their next quarterback. The team recently signed Dwayne Haskins to a one-year deal, but he is hardly the most promising young quarterback in the NFL, especially considering the maturity issues that led to him being cut by Washington.