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Nine Teams that could take a quarterback early in the 2022 NFL Draft

By Christopher Thomas

Sep 12, 2021; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Texans quarterback Tyrod Taylor (5) attempts a pass during the game against the Jacksonville Jaguars at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 12, 2021; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Texans quarterback Tyrod Taylor (5) attempts a pass during the game against the Jacksonville Jaguars at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports /
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ORCHARD PARK, NY – SEPTEMBER 12: Ben Roethlisberger #7 of the Pittsburgh Steelers drops back to throw a pass against the Buffalo Bills at Highmark Stadium on September 12, 2021 in Orchard Park, New York. (Photo by Timothy T Ludwig/Getty Images)
ORCHARD PARK, NY – SEPTEMBER 12: Ben Roethlisberger #7 of the Pittsburgh Steelers drops back to throw a pass against the Buffalo Bills at Highmark Stadium on September 12, 2021 in Orchard Park, New York. (Photo by Timothy T Ludwig/Getty Images) /

Pittsburgh Steelers

After the conclusion of the Pittsburgh Steelers season, many wondered if they had seen the last of Ben Roethlisberger with the Steelers. After winning eleven straight games to begin last season the Steelers lost four of their last five games, including getting dominated by the Browns on wild card weekend. The Steelers had a lot of tough personnel choices to make with limited cap space.

When asked about Roethlisberger’s future with the team owner Art Rooney Jr. said that he would have to take a pay cut to return the following season. Roethlisberger originally did not want to take a pay cut nor did he want to play elsewhere. He would have retired which was a possibility to happen anyways. Instead, Pittsburgh and Roethlisberger agreed on a restructured contract that opened up $5 million in cap space.

Six weeks into the 2021 season Pittsburgh may be questioning whether they should have been more firm about a larger pay cut from Roethlisberger and possibly released him. According to Insider, Roethlisberger has the ninth-largest cap hit of any player in the NFL. This season Roethlisberger looks arguably worse than he did last season. He is averaging 252.2 passing yards per game and has seven touchdowns and four interceptions. Those are okay numbers, but not anywhere near the elite numbers he had in his prime.

For the last two seasons, he has not had the arm strength that he has trademarked over his career. The most logical explanation would be the combination of his age and that elbow injury he suffered early in the 2018-19 season. He is 39 years old and has not looked the same since that injury.

Depending on how Pittsburgh finishes the season they could be in a prime position to draft a quarterback in the 2022 NFL Draft. The Steelers are suprisingly 3-3 but won’t be the favorite to win many games down the stretch becuase of their lackluster offense. Roethlisberger is a free agent after this season and likely to retire. Pittsburgh will still have Mason Rudolph and Dwayne Haskins on the roster while Josh Dobbs will hit free agency. They could take a quarterback in the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft to compete with Rudolph in Haskins for the Week 1 starting job. They just have to make sure to spend their other resources on upgrades along the offensive line to give their quarterback the best situation to succeed.

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