Ben Roethlisberger could be the biggest beneficiary to the cap increase
NFL ESPN Insider Adam Schefter reported Friday that the cap will jump from $123 million to $133 million this year, and such a spike would leave the Steelers roughly $5.75 million over the cap with less than two weeks to get in compliance with it. The news that the spending ceiling could exceed $150 million by 2016, is something that bodes very well for Big Ben Roethlisberger.
Even though the Steelers don’t appear to be in any hurry to sign quarterback Ben Roethlisberger to a long-term deal, the team could buy into projections of the cap making much more than incremental increases over the next three years which could accelerate their plans to lock up their QB.
Roethlisberger has two years left on his contract, which is the time when the Steelers usually sign their quarterback to a new deal. The Steelers have every intention of doing that with Roethlisberger as everyone from team president Art Rooney II to general manager Kevin Colbert has said they want Big Ben to play his entire career in Pittsburgh.
The timing couldn’t be better for the Steelers to sign Roethlisberger sooner rather than later.
His cap hit for 2014 is a projected $18.9 million, and the Steelers could lower that number with a new deal while also not having to backload what would probably be at least a five-year contract for Roethlisberger.
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