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All reports indicate that Ben Roethlisberger will be back for his 18th season with the Steelers. According to Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Roethlisberger's agent, Ryan Tollner, said Art Rooney II told Roethlisberger on Tuesday that the team wants him back in 2021.
Dulac says Rooney is expected to release a statement about Roethlisberger’s future on Wednesday.
To have Roethlisberger back for another season, Dulac suggests that the Steelers will likely have to sign him to a new three-year deal in which they would take his salary ($4 million) and roster bonus ($15 million) and convert it into a signing bonus that would be prorated over three years. In doing so, Roethlisberger's $41.25 million cap hit will reduce significantly.
The Steelers have until the third day of the new league year, which begins on March 17 to figure out what they want to do with Roethlisberger, as he's due a $15 million roster bonus on March 19.