Stillers Fans at DEFCON 1- Big Ben Accused Again (Update- No Charges Filed)

No, they wouldn't. You don't trade a franchise quarterback. I don't think it is something the Steelers would have considered, either, a few months ago. But now? Yeah, they would pretty much have to take it.

 

With a franchise QB who is 32 and with a lockout looming in 2011, I'd consider it.

 

It is a quarterback driven league. If you have one of the truly elite quarterbacks, you don't trade him. At least I wouldn't.

 

I wouldn't either. Steeler fans remember how easy it was replacing Bradshaw throughout the 80's and early 90s. Bubby Brister, Mark Malone, Kordell Stewart, Cliff Stoudt, Todd Blackledge, Mike Tomczak . . . hell, it got to the point where Tommy Maddox and Neil O'Donnell were deemed to be our franchise quarterbacks, and they didn't come around for 10+ years after Bradshaw. No, you stay with what you know (Ben's ability) over what you think might happen (college qb becoming a star) and you hope and pray Ben puts this fratboy stuff behind him.

 

Trading away a star quarterback in his prime is never a good idea. Look at the Eagles with Sonny Jurgenson in the 1960s and the Oilers with Warren Moon in the the 1990s.

 

Or the Patriots of the 200s, or the 49ers of the 1990s, or the Raiders of the 1980s...

It can work, but it is a big risk.

 

The Patriots knew what they had in Tom Brady, or at least knew more about him than anyone knows about Sam Bradford, when they traded Bledsoe. And no one ever confused Bledsoe with being a top 3 quarterback. Also, Steve Young would fall into that category as far as the 49ers knowing what they had. Either way, waaaaaaay too much risk here to trade Ben unless the Rooneys absolutely, positively have to. i.e. this stuff continues or he gets to the point where he doesn't care what they say. In my heart, though, I don't see that happeing.

 

Very true.

But if the Steelers can receive some insane amount of draft picks or draft value, then they should jump at it.

I also would not draft Bradford, but that is for another thread.

 

who would you take?

 

Yawn. In my opinion, quarterbacks like Bradford are a dime a dozen.

 

Time will tell, but in a league where Kyle Orton is a starter, I'm looking hard at a "potentially" star QB.

 

Yep. We can revisit this in five years to see how it all shakes out.