Big Ben trade talk heats up

The six-game suspension (that can be reduced to four) handed down today by commissioner Roger Goodell to Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger is going to have a direct impact on how Pittsburgh and Mike Tomlin prepare for training camp and the regular season. But with new reports now out, is Big Ben even going to be in town next year?

According to NFL.com’s Jason La Canfora, the Steelers contacted the Rams over the weekend about a possible deal that would send Roethlisberger to St. Louis — which was turned down — and are now in discussions with the Oakland Raiders about a possible trade.

Oakland is a club that is mentioned with almost every free-agent QB on the market and was considered to be very involved in talks for former Eagle Donovan McNabb before he was sent down the road to Mike Shanahan and the Redskins.

But, as La Canfora points out, dealing for a player who could miss the first six games of the season is a stretch — especially when you consider the Raiders giving up the No. 8 pick tomorrow night to even get Big Ben in town.

I understand crazier things have happened before when it comes to personnel in the league and the Raiders in general, and that is why we have to discuss this as a possibility. Oakland with Roethlisberger is a much more attractive team — even with the suspension — over JaMarcus Russell and the struggles on the field we all know too much about.

But, the fact that the Steelers are even considering shipping a franchise-level QB out of town is news on the eve of the draft. Does it happen? We will all find out before the Raiders pick tomorrow night.

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