Adam Schefter has proclaimed on the ESPN rumor blog that the Cards should trade for Roethlisburger, citing the Grimm/Wiz Steeler connection.
That should gin up the amount of fan & media chatter; but I don't think it would happen for a gazillion reasons; including:
- He's too good for the Steelers to let go.
- Trade terms would, by necessity, be too rich for our blood. (Ask yourself - what would we have to give up? And if we did it, what would be the net impact on our football team)?
- Cardinal FO emphasis on "character."
- Timing sucks - do you really want to blow up the offenses of two teams this late in the off-season?
- High-maintenance nature of Roethlisburger.
I liked the possibility of trading for McNabb because Donovan had a track record of leadership and being a solid guy. At the very least, without knowing more, you'd have to consider Ben a questionmark in those areas.
Ben could help any number of teams. The problem is going to be to trade for his contract. He is not going to want to go to a loser team which would be a most likely candidate. I think next year Matt is due for a very large bonus which would make us a possible prospect for his contract. I am thinking we could owe Matt something like $15 million. How about Matt and a 4Th or 3rd rounder for Ben. We know a lot more about Ben than we do about Matt. Of course this is all day dreaming on my part as the Cards have no history of doing deals of this magnitude. I still think there is a 50-1 chance he could end up in Dallas one way or the other. This is the kind of deal Jerry Jones likes to make. Ben is young, big, tough, won a Superbowl and I think has learned a lesson. If I am Pittsburgh I would not even consider trading him. Tonight is the perfect time to trade him if something like this is more than just a rumor. Like Jeff I sure would have liked McNabb. He could have been the new Kurt Warner for this team and surely has at least three years left in that body. No question this guy is a leader. Like Warner he just needs some a new landscape and a team with some all pro receivers. That is water over the dam and just might turn Washington into a real contender.