1. Ben Roethlisberger Exceeds 4,300 Passing Yards

Big Ben underwent season-ending surgery on his right elbow after only two weeks this past season. The Steelers rode Roethlisberger hard during the 2017 and 2018 seasons. During those two years, he attempted 1,236 passes. That’s 618 pass attempts per season. However, Pittsburgh should approach its veteran quarterback differently in 2020.

Two years remain on Roethlisberger’s current contract. The two-time Super Bowl champion issued a statement following his elbow surgery saying, “The Steelers committed three years to me this offseason and I fully intend to honor my contract and reward them with championship level play.” 

It sounds like Big Ben wants to play out the remainder of his contract. If the Steelers believe they can compete for a Super Bowl over the next two seasons, the offensive game plan must change. Pittsburgh can’t ask Roethlisberger to throw the ball 600 times a season anymore. Instead, the team should preserve his arm by limiting him to around 500 throws per season.

Roethlisberger proved in 2009 that he’s capable of reaching 4,300 yards on roughly 500 pass attempts. I expect he’ll hit those marks again this coming season, and the elbow injury from last year won’t hold the six-time Pro Bowler back.

The last time fans saw Roethlisberger for a full season, he led the NFL in passing yards and set a career-high for passing touchdowns. Maybe the 38-year-old lost some zip in the past year, but I wouldn’t bet against him.