With Ben Roethlisberger soon to be 39 and perhaps contemplating retirement -- though he has continually expressed a desire to play out his contract, which runs through the 2021 season -- and Deshaun Watson unhappy with how things are going with the Texans, there are people who are putting two and two together.
But it most certainly does not add up to four.
There have been instances where franchise quarterbacks have been traded in NFL history: Y.A. Tittle going from the 49ers to the Giants; Fran Tarkenton from the Vikings to the Giants and then back again; Roman Gabriel from the Rams to the Eagles; Jim Plunkett from the Patriots to the 49ers; Warren Moon from the Oilers to the Vikings; Jay Cutler from the Broncos to the Bears; Joe Montana from the 49ers to the Chiefs; Carson Palmer from the Bengals to the Raiders.
But in nearly every one of those cases where an established quarterback was traded, he was on the wrong side of 30 or at least considered to be washed up.
Tittle, for example, was 35 when he was dealt in 1961. Gabriel was 33. Montana was 37. Moon was 38. Palmer was 32.
And if they weren't thought to be done, there were other issues.
Plunkett was 29, but had led the NFL in interceptions two years before his trade. He had thrown 25 interceptions two years before that. He was hardly a star despite having once been the first-overall pick in the draft in 1971.
But of those players who were still in their prime -- Tarkenton and Cutler -- both forced their way off their current team. Despite that, the cost wasn't cheap.
Tarkenton was fed up in Minnesota with hard-nosed coach Norm Van Brocklin and demanded a trade. At just 26, the same age as Watson, the future Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback netted the Vikings two first-round picks and two seconds.
The Giants then traded Tarkenton back to the Vikings six years later for first- and second-round picks, quarterback Norm Snead, wide receiver Bob Grim and fullback Vince Clemens.
Cutler was 25, was unhappy in Denver when new head coach Josh McDaniels openly courted his former New England pupil, Matt Cassel, to be his quarterback. He forced his way out of Denver, netting the Broncos two first-round picks, a third and quarterback Kyle Orton.
And none of those guys were 25 and coming off a season in which they led the NFL in passing yards while also rushing for another 444 yards and three scores.
If Houston is going to move Watson, it's going to need a quarterback in return as part of the package -- or at least the opportunity to get a quarterback in the draft. All apologies to Mason Rudolph, he's not going to make that happen. And the Steelers, picking 24th in the first round, aren't in a position to get the Texans into range to be assured of getting their quarterback of the future.
And no, the Steelers wouldn't be interested in making a Tarkenton-like deal, sending two first and two seconds to the Texans for the quarterback. Nor should Watson, who has a no-trade clause, be interested in going to a team that is going to have to give up that much to acquire his rights.
After all, trading away future first-round picks is what helped get the Texans to the point at which they now find themselves. The Texans have made one first-round pick in the three years since taking Watson 12th overall in 2017, having traded away those selections on veteran players from elsewhere.
Those trades included sending their first-round pick last year and their first- and second-round picks from this year to the Dolphins in the deal that acquired offensive tackle Laremy Tunsil and wide receiver Kenny Stills among other things.
Bereft of talent at least in part because of a lack of draft picks, the Texans stumbled to a 4-12 record this season.
Would Watson now want to go to another team that is mortgaging its future to acquire his talents?
Perhaps if that team was simply giving up a couple of draft picks and a player. But for the Steelers, that player would likely have to be linebacker T.J. Watt to even get the interest of the Texans. And that's a non-starter for the Steelers.
Why would they trade their star defensive player and a first-round draft pick or more for Watson, as good as he is? After all, it's not like they have even a warm body to line up in Watt's spot.
And some of the more ridiculous proposals out there have the Steelers giving up even more than that.
No matter what the Steelers might be willing to offer for Watson, even if it were their first-round pick in the next two drafts, it wouldn't be enough to pique Houston's interest. Not when other teams with higher picks — the Jets or Dolphins — are also involved.
The Steelers can covet Watson all they like. Any team with an uncertain future at the quarterback position most certainly would.
But they don't have the capital it would take to acquire him. At least not without completely mortgaging their own future.
And while Watson is good, he's not worth doing that.
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