Steelers likely to draft a QB

Despite protests to the contrary, I believe the Steelers will take a flyer on a QB sometime in the later rounds of the 2010 draft. Unless the team trades for veteran Byron Leftwich (who served as Ben Roethlisberger's backup in 2008), a move I support, the team almost has to draft a QB to serve as the third-stringer (assuming Big Ben is unavailable for part or all of the 2010 season).

Meanwhile, it's my contention that Roethlisberger is potentially in a lot more trouble than most NFL fans realize.

Report: Steelers offer Leftwich a two-year contract

Good news. Word is that the Steelers have offered backup QB Byron Leftwich a two-year contract. Hopefully, Leftwich will sign it. Of course, Leftwich's signing would most likely mean the end of road for Charlie Batch, though it seems possible that the team would offer Batch a one-year deal for the veteran minimum. It's difficult to imagine how he would beat out Leftwich and second-year man Dennis Dixon for a roster spot, however.

I know there are some Steelers' fans who believe that Batch is a better backup than Leftwich, but I totally disagree. In terms of ability, Leftwich is a better QB than the starters on at least a half-dozen teams. It's just that in the past, Leftwich's lack of durability has been known to affect his play (a big reason why he's not a good option as a starting QB), but durability shouldn't be much of an issue if he only starts or appears in a handful of games per season.

Colts: What are the Chances...?

Another difficult game to evaluate, complicated by the fact that we don't yet know who will be playing quarterback for the Steelers. Personally, I hope Byron Leftwich gets the start, mostly because a healthy Leftwich is a better option than an injured Roethlisberger. Let's face it, Big Ben is now so banged up that it's clearly affecting his ability to perform up to his very high standards. Furthermore, Leftwich wouldn't hold onto the ball as long as Ben, an important factor when considering the Steelers' offensive line versus the Colts' speed rushers.

Either way, give the Steelers (three-point favorites) a 55 percent chance of beating the Colts. Currently, The Steelyard is 6-2 on the season in terms of predicting the games, and 32-9 all-time.

Time for Big Ben to sit

Even if it turns out that Ben Roethlisberger is capable of starting on Sunday versus the Indianapolis Colts, it’s time for him to take a seat on the bench for a game … or two or three. The Steelers have a disturbing history of allowing Ben to return from injury prematurely — at Jacksonville (appendectomy), and at Oakland (concussion), both in 2006 — even when a more-than-capable backup was available. Recall that those two games were two of the worst performances of Roethlisberger’s career, similar to those of the past two weeks against the Redskins and Giants.

In the long run, the Steelers would be best served by letting Big Ben’s shoulder and hands (and knee?) heal, instead of rushing him back out on the field. For one, Byron Leftwich is a proven starting-caliber QB, one who could hold down the fort — and likely excel — in Roethlisberger’s absence. Second, in recent weeks, Ben’s play has been subpar, no doubt due to his injuries, a trend that is likely to continue, especially if the condition of his shoulder has deteriorated further. But the biggest reason to sit Ben is to try to get him healthy — or at least healthier — for the stretch drive and the post-season. Otherwise, by the time the post-season rolls around he may barely be able to run or throw, exactly when the Steelers will need him most.

One further thought: I'm adamant that the Steelers should not have Roethlisberger running the quarterback sneak, except in the rarest of circumstances. Nor should they be running reverses where Ben might be called upon to block defenders. With $100 million-plus invested in him, it pays to be smart about minimizing the contact he's exposed to, especially in light of the ongoing struggles of the team's offensive line. Recall that in the space of one season former Tenneessee Titans quarterback Steve McNair went from star QB to being completely washed up (not long after he turned 30), thanks to all the contact he absorbed over the course of his career. The amount of punishment Roethlisberger is absorbing is reminiscent of McNair, and no Steeler fan wants to see Ben washed up before he reaches the end of his current contract.

Steelers sign QB Leftwich

Today, Pittsburgh signed QB Byron Leftwich - a former No. 1 pick (seventh overall in 2003) of the Jacksonville Jaguars - to a one-year contract. Leftwich will serve as Ben Roethlisberger's backup for at least the next six weeks, as veteran Charlie Batch is scheduled to have surgery tomorrow to repair the broken right collarbone he suffered during Friday's preseason game against the Philadelphia Eagles. Batch will be out for a minimum of six weeks following the surgery.