"They are no longer the team I love" - Former Steelers player left fuming over Ben Roethlisberger's likely successor
Without Ben Roethlisberger, Pittsburgh Steelers fans are understandably apprehensive about what will happen in free agency, the Draft, and in 2022.
The long list of nervous fans includes Ryan Clark, a former Steeler and current television pundit.
According to a Tweet posted by the official account of Get Up!, Clark laid down the stakes for the Steelers over the next few months.
"If Mason Rudolph is the starting QB for the Pittsburgh Steelers entering 2022, they are no longer the Pittsburgh Steelers I love or the fans of Pittsburgh love," Clark said.
"If Mason Rudolph is the starting QB for the Pittsburgh Steelers entering 2022, they are no longer the Pittsburgh Steelers I love or the fans of Pittsburgh love."
—@Realrclark25 😳 https://t.co/XUhwP3mOUp
What should Ryan Clark be expecting from the Steelers?
While Clark is understandably nervous about what could happen over the next ten months, he should understand the bind that the team is currently in.
After a mid-level season, the team has a mid-level pick. Whatever quarterback(s) fall(s) to the Steelers, they'll have to take a chance. However, there is almost a guarantee that no quarterbacks will be remain for the team to take.
The Steelers organization is FIRST CLASS.
As such, the team should be exploring the trade market and the free agency pool. At this time of year, both are full of potential options. However, with a roster that is usable but lacks Super Bowl all-star power, it will be tough to lure over premium free agents. Meaning, the team could be left with only trading an arm and a leg for a quarterback.
Pittsburgh isn't known for making blockbuster trades, so this idea may not come to fruition. As such, there is a very realistic possibility that the team will be forced to make do with what they have for 2022. It may not be the same winning season fans are accustomed to, but the team's building philosophy will have stayed intact. So, it will still be the same ol' Steelers.
If the team makes a blockbuster trade and starts moving players quickly in and out of the roster, then it won't be the same team of the last decade. That said, it could be what Pittsburgh needs. There is no perfect playbook as to how to rebuild a quarterback room that has lost its beating heart, but there is a right way and a wrong way to go about things.
According to Clark, the wrong thing to do is nothing at quarterback. In doing nothing, the team is set to fail, despite retaining Mike Tomlin. After such a painful season, the head coach may call it quits in the same way Sean Payton did. How the team handles the next ten months could set up the next five or ten years.
If they land the right person, they could sidestep an era of struggle like the Green Bay Packers did in 2008. However, if they stumble, they will fall into the downward spiral that has plagued every franchise before them at one time or another.