Fans will get a chance to see what it might be like in the coming years when the Steelers play their first preseason game Friday night without Ben Roethlisberger, and the franchise is starting to prepare for the day when they do not have him at all.
“I hope he stays here more than one year, but we have to be prepared,” Steelers general manager Kevin Colbert told the Post-Gazette Wednesday.
The Steelers drafted quarterback Josh Dobbs in the fourth round this year and coach Mike Tomlin said the rookie will start against the New York Giants while a healthy Roethlisberger and injured backup Landry Jones will not play.
But with Roethlisberger, 35, not committing to playing beyond the 2017 season and considering his age, the Steelers are thinking about the future while hoping their star sticks around. Roethlisberger talked about possible retirement in January. He eventually committed to playing this season, but not beyond. Toward that end, Colbert may pay closer attention to quarterbacks when he makes his scouting rounds of colleges this year.
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Colbert said he was somewhat surprised that Roethlisberger was thinking about retirement in January....