Not long ago, there was a belief that the Steelers hadn’t ruled out a trade of quarterback Ben Roethlisberger in order to scare him regarding the possibility of being traded to Oakland.
Now, he may have good reason to be afraid.
Jason La Canfora of NFL Network reports that the Steelers have been in contact with the Raiders regarding a possible trade, and that Oakland “[m]ight be [the] only real option.”
The Steelers apparently want a top-ten pick for Roethlisberger. If the Raiders won’t send the eighth overall selection to Pittsburgh, the next question becomes whether the Steelers would begin to consider taking pick 11, 12, or 13.
The 49ers hold the 13th pick, and Roethlisberger grew up rooting for the team.