If the Rams traded the 1.1 to the Steelers for Roethlisberger . . .
 

. . . which team do you think would have the better of the deal?

Basically, the right to Sam Bradford (and the obligation to pay him the 1.1 salary) for a QB that has won two Super Bowls, but probably molests women in the offseason.

dola:

worth noting that I have heard nothing saying that this would be on the table. It is just my idle speculation.

Anyone who doesn't say the Rams is crazy. Proven SB winning molesting QB at only base salaries vs an unproven guy with $40 million guaranteed who has gotten hurt the last two times he's been hit (not sure if that's 100% accurate, but read that recently).

Hmm, a two time Superbowl champ (albeit overrated) or a QB who didn't call his own plays, has a shoulder that has exploded on impact the last two times it was hit, and may or may not be just a systems QB?

I don't think Bradford will necessarily bust but for the purpose of this, he probably won't ever do what Ben has done so far.

But there's also the issue that the Rams are approximately six light years away from contending for anything, so how much use is Roth to them now? I don't know anything about Bradford, and it's not like Ben is over the hill for the Steelers, but trading in your QB for a #1 pick prospect before your team fades away is not a bad deal.

Where is this option? The chicks in Pittsburgh, they wouldn't have to carry mace around near as much.

Gotta disagree. That team isn't completely barren. There were rumblings McNabb almost went to STL for the 2.1. I understand in this scenario they wouldn't have the 1.1 to draft Suh, but put those two players on the Rams and they are immediately a contender to win the NFC West. Add in a couple decent FA signings, and there's no reason they couldn't win a couple playoff games.

There's OL issues in STL...adding Ben who seems to do some pretty amazing things with a collapsing pocket could be interesting.

Unless Big Ben is called Big Bendover in prison.

Isn't it fairly presumptuous to assume he only molests women in the offseason?

Steelers

What the hell is big Ben going to do for the Rams other than suck up much needed cap room? The Rams are a long ways from being a playoff team therefore an aging QB in his prime isnt really a great investment.

It would be close to the Pirates going out and trading for Ryan Howard. It will add a few wins on the season but make no difference in the end result.

+1

You would need more than a 1.1 if you wanted to get Ben, warts and all.

True as well!

I dont think either team would even consider this trade. It would only hurt both teams.

Steelers. Big Ben = overrated as hell.

I think the Rams easily get the best of this deal due to Roethlisberger having recently signed a huge extension (and already having the signing bonus in the bank). If you don't consider that, I think it's a little closer, but still favors the Rams due to the known vs unknown (+ the unknown's signing demands).

I imagine that Rams' fans would be pretty happy if Bradford turns into a Roethlisberger-like player when he hits his peak.

I don't watch college football, so I don't know the QBs coming out, but whether the Rams keep the pick or trade down (which I would do) for more picks, I think they say no to the deal. See Cutler, J. (and yes, that's an attempt at a reverse-jinx from a Bears fan)

Ummm, jbergey - there is no salary cap any more. Therefore, there is no cap room.

And as Swaggs and I have pointed out...signing bonuses are paid by, and stick with, the signing team. So even if the cap gets worked out, he would only cost the Rams his base salary for the duration of his contract.

They could've had him a few years ago but turned down a trade saying the Phillies were asking too much in Kip Wells :)

Hasn't Ben had his brain scrambled several times now? A quick googling shows at least 3 concussions as a Steeler by mid-2008. His off-field antics indicate to me that his brain as it is currently constituted doesn't run particularly well as it is; any more brain trauma could be career-ending. Ben may last for another 10 years, but I'm taking the guy with the bad shoulder.

Toss up, if Ben fixes his off field issues Rams would get the better of the deal, so long a he can stay healthy. That is a big if, since he won't have the supporting cast he had in Pittsburgh.

QB's are the toughest position to predict in terms of NFL success. Bradford gives you someone who won't get into trouble off the field, but he is fragile and once you start getting Shoulder injuries, you are more susceptible to recurrences. He would benefit from not being expected to be a savior, like Roesthlisberger his first year.

Im went with Rams, just because I question how Bradford will hold up with his Shoulder issues.

Doubtful. This is the NFL! The easiest league to trade bad picks for good players!

Holy shit Shorty is back!!!!!!!!!

Don't go away korme!!!!!!!!

great hypothetical

and welcome back, shorty! the movie thread thrives.

I think it's terrible for both teams. The Steelers are close to a SB and take a huge step back with a rookie QB (esp a brittle one with their OL). The Rams are 3-4 years from sniffing contention, so they basically waste the prime of Big Ben with a crappy team.

If this deal happened, both GMs should be fired ;)

Yeah, that's the truth of the matter there.

There's actually no evidence that he molests more than one woman per offseason.

:D


Genital warts, maybe.

I suppose that is true how easily I forget. Teams are still acting like there is a cap and I would expect it to come back.

Ben to the Bills for 1.9, a third rounder and the bills number one next year.

Can't see the steelers taking Bradford. Plus Dixon at least deserves a real shot. Unless Bradford is the opening day starter you run the risk of dividing a locker room when Bradford eventually takes over for financial reasons(especially if Dixon is average or better).

This is incorrect. Trust me I have watched every single Rams game since they came to St. Louis. The cupboard in St. Louis is quite bare.

Pairing up a good QB to go along with Steven Jackson would obviously make them better, but they are super thin at WR. Donnie Avery has shown a little promise, and playing with Bulger has not done him any favors, but he is not a real #1 wideout. After Avery you have the legion of "upside" guys who there is no real reason to believe they are going to turn into more than #3 or #4 type guys. Robinson, Burton, Gibson, etc all have shown minor flashes (you can argue Robinson has done more than that, but I wasn't as in love with him as the rest of the city was when he went down last year). Danny Amendola caught 43 balls last year. That should be proof enough how thin they are.

As you said the offensive line certainly has issues and the defense is awful. Again the fact that they were very happy re-sign James Hall, who is average at best, is awful telling.

I wish you were right and they were not as far away as they are, but that just isn't the case. Adding McNabb and Suh would not make them a playoff contender this year even in the West. I don;t agree that they are light years away either, as that just isn't the nature of the NFL. Teams are able to turn it around quickly all the time, and I am not even saying doing something like making the move for McNabb when he was out there wouldn't have been the best course. It just wouldn't have been enough for them to compete this year.

Speaking of the Rams.......
Why isn't AmenDola a meme round these parts.

Because nobody on this board can name more than two Rams. Hell, whenever I try to name two, the second guess is always Jeff Wilkins.

And, the first one is either Kurt Warner or Marc Bulger. :)

see what you did

I read somewhere awhile back, that Ben was doing some sort of,
"if you're not down, then suck it".

I assume this was/is his M.O. recently.

Hmmm.

According to this poll, the 1.1 for Big Ben seems like a fair-ish deal (though I think that, personally, I agree with Arlie. It's fair in that it is a bad deal for each team).

This rumor has the 1.1 plus first year's number 1. So, if the Rams do that, they are quite foolish, I think.

Huh. The Sports Reporters show in DC wondered if you could really get much of anything for Roethlisberger, between off-field stupidity and concussion concerns. I don't know if I'd go that far, but I think 1.1 is crazy talk.

Yeah, if the Steelers could get 1.1 and next year's 1 they should take it right away.

That's Dan Snyder crazy.

That is, of course, a Pittsburgh paper pulling that rumor out of its butt. I'm sure that the St. L papers are floating rumors of Ben for the 2.1.

Calling it now:

Roethlisberger to the Raiders for Heyward-Bey, Gallery, and Bubb Rubb or whatever the hell his name is.

Parise to the IR with a broken leg.

help

ooh zach you are welcome to bust through my wall anytime

and wear that river rats jersey

hell yes

I'm surprised this poll is even close, let alone in favor of the Steelers benefitting.

An elite NFL QB is still the most difficult role to find for an NFL franchise. The Steelers will instantly become the Steelers of the 80's while they try to find a new one.

I think we've gotten a little too used to the early successes of some QBs (which only recently started with Ben himself). We see Matt Ryan, Flacco, and maybe a couple others that do well but they are still extremely rare...and neither of those guys are as good as Ben anyway.

Ben has at least 6-7 years of top 5 NFL QB performance left in him (if not more). The Rams may never get a franchise QB for 10 or more seasons.

I'm waiting to see year 1 of top 5 qb performance.

Not sure about dominance, but 2007 and last year were pretty damn good.

Im sure there has been a better player than Big Ben in every NFL draft perhaps we are just very confident in our scouting ability.