Ex-NFL GM expects Ben Roethlisberger to be benched this season

Will Ben Roethlisberger end up benched by the Pittsburgh Steelers this season? One NFL analyst thinks so.

Former New York Jets general manager Mike Tannenbaum, who is now an ESPN analyst, was talking on “Get Up!” Thursday. Tannenbaum said he expects Roethlisberger to be “bad” and benched by the middle of the season.

Tannenbaum’s reasoning is that Big Ben does not throw the ball down the field as much as he used to. He believes the retirement of Maurkice Pouncey will hurt the protection of the offensive line. He also thinks Big Ben will keep getting rid of the ball earlier and earlier to avoid injuries, which will adversely affect the team’s offense.

Last season, Roethlisberger helped his Steelers begin the season 11-0. He passed for 3,803 yards and 33 touchdowns. He also passed for 501 yards and four touchdowns with four interceptions in a playoff loss to the Browns.

Even though the 39-year-old QB is aging, he still has the ability to throw the ball around and create points more than Tannenbaum gives him credit for. The Steelers definitely do not have anyone else on the roster who could do better.