What happens if in fact Ben Roethlisberger is charged with sexual assault? The league and the Steelers are going to have to take action if the QB ends up getting charged, meaning that the Steelers could start the year without their franchise QB.

Last year’s offseason incident in Las Vegas at the end of the day got pushed under the rug. It might not be so easy this time around. First of all there is the Steeler fans that may turn on the QB, as this team can’t afford to have a QB that can’t stay out of trouble, and the fans know that.

Then there is the distraction that comes along with such a high profile case. This is now the third offseason the team has had to deal with a situation involving Roethlisberger. You had the accident a few years back, and now back to back offseasons with a sexual assault charge thrown at him.

Roethlisberger just got a monster deal last season, he’s a $100 million dollar QB, and you have to wonder the long term future of the club if he’s suspended or flat out not around. Dennis Dixon stepped up and had a nice game in Baltimore when called upon last season, but is he really the future at the QB spot? That remains to be seen.

Bottom line on everything here – if Roethlisberger is charged, the Steelers could be in huge trouble heading into 2010. They very well may have to face a portion of the year without their start QB. Even if he’s allowed to play though, his future has to be in great question following this second incident that has fans, management and probably his own teammates wondering his future.

The attorneys for the alleged victim in the Ben Roethlisberger case has released a statement about the situation involving the star QB:

Attorneys hired to represent a young woman who claims Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger was involved in a sexual assault committed against her early Friday morning have issued a statement on behalf of their client. Attorneys Lee Parks and David Walbert of Parks, Chesin & Walbert said their client was a victim in the alleged assault and that Roethlisberger was involved. The legal team urged the media to keep the victim’s name out of the press and give the victim and her parents space and time to heal. “Their daughter has done the right thing and reported this matter to the police,” the release reads. “She has been, and will be, available to the authorities to assist them in the criminal investigation. While the matter is under investigation, we ask you to respect her privacy, keep her name out of the press and allow the family space and time to heal.”

The Steelers have been a lot more active that most thought they would be in free agency, as Monday they added not only safety Will Allen and WR Arnaz Battle, but they told former LB Larry Foote they want him back, and now they are bringing back WR Antwaan Randle El.

The original Steeler comes back a few days after he was released from the Washington Redskins. He played with the Steelers for four seasons before he then inked with the Washington Redskins, where he just wrapped up his 4th season before he was let go.

The Steelers are going back to the past, as first they wanted to grab former linebacker Larry Foote, who has an offer, and Antwaan Randle El informed the Steelers on Monday that he has accepted their three-year offer, according to a league source.

Randle El was a widely popular player among fans, staff and teammates during his first stint with Pittsburgh. He was released by the Redskins last week.

Randle El was a second-round draft pick of the Steelers in 2002, and he excelled as a receiver and a return man. But he might be most well known for his 43-yard touchdown pass to Hines Ward in the Steelers’ Super Bowl XL victory.

Randle El left the Steelers after the Super Bowl and joined the Redskins for the 2006 season.

He right away gives the Steelers a great return guy, and can also give the team another wide out if needed. This means Limas Sweed’s 2010 roster spot could be in severe risk.

It looks like Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger is going on the offensive in his latest sexual abuse claim by a 20-year-old. The QB is hiring a big time defense lawyer in Georgia to fight the latest claim of abuse that was handed to him on Thursday:

Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger has hired prominent Atlanta criminal defense lawyer Edward T.M. Garland, the attorney who defended Ray Lewis of the Baltimore Ravens against murder charges in 2000.

“I can confirm to you that I have been retained,” Garland told the Tribune-Review this morning before he called the Milledgeville Police Department.

Garland said Roethlisberger hasn’t been charged with a crime in connection with an accusation by a 20-year-old Milledgeville student who told police the quarterback sexually assaulted her in a dingy room of a popular nightclub early Friday morning.

Representing Lewis, Garland skillfully navigated past initial homicide charges linked to a street fistfight in the Buckhead section of Atlanta after the Super Bowl. His client agreed to help the prosecution and pleaded to obstructing justice before serving a year of probation.

Roethlisberger is believed to have departed Georgia shortly after the sorority woman alleged he attacked her near the VIP room of the Capital City tavern, a popular dance club in downtown Milledgeville.

A developing story from our friends at TMZ.com

Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger has been accused of sexual assault by a young woman in Georgia, TMZ has learned.

The alleged incident occurred early this morning at Capital City — a club in Milledgeville, Georgia.

The alleged victim, who has already been interviewed by police, has been treated and released.

We’re told in addition to the alleged victim, witnesses are being interviewed — and one law enforcement source says they will attempt to interview Roethlisberger.

In addition to the Milledgeville Police Dept, we’ve learned the Georgia Bureau of Investigations is also investigating.

Story developing …

After it appearing that he was the next big target the Steelers wanted to sign, a report now out says the Steelers are going to let safety Ryan Clark test the free agent market:

The Pittsburgh Steelers plan to let safety Ryan Clark to test the free agent market, according to an NFL source. That stance has come about as the team has been discussing a contract with Clark’s representative. Steelers director of football operations Kevin Colbert has identified Clark as a core player the team wants to re-sign. At this point, though, there’s nothing concrete to indicate that a deal is imminent as talks haven’t progressed quickly. Talks haven’t been cut off, but Clark is expected to reach unrestricted free agent status.

It wouldn’t be a shock to see Clark price himself out of the Steelers range based on the comments of his agent who said that his client was the best safety in the business. Then again, after seeing the lack of interest that could be out there for Clark, it would not be a surprise to see him come back to the Steelers for less money.

With Casey Hampton officially inked for three seasons, the team made their second move on Thursday, putting the franchise tag on kicker Jeff Reed. GM Kevin Colbert says though they still hope to sign Reed to an extension, too. “Our goal is to lock Jeff up long-term,” said Colbert. “We want to keep Jeff as long as we can.”

Though Reed plays in one of the most notorious stadiums for kickers, he has fashioned a 83.3% accuracy rate on field goals, 10th-best in league history. Reed has had some off the field issues, but there is no doubt the Steelers need him, and it is a good move to make sure that he sticks around.

Reed has said he wants to stay with the Steelers, and he’ll likely be able to come to terms with the club on a deal somewhere near what Raiders kicker Sebastian Janikowski recently got, which was $16 mil over four seasons.

The Steelers took care of one big problem on Thursday, as it looks as if their biggest free agent to be will not be leaving the team. Nose tackle Casey Hampton has inked a deal according to KDKA-TV that will pay him $21 mil over three seasons.

A source tells KDKA-TV Sports that Steelers nose tackle Casey Hampton has agreed to a three year, $21 million contract to stay with the team with $11 million of the contract guaranteed. If the two sides weren’t able to agree to a long-term deal, the Steelers would’ve placed the franchise tag on Hampton. The franchise tag would’ve gotten Hampton a one-year, $7 million contract.

The signing is a big relief for the club, as now they can focus on looking for cornerback and help in other areas of the team that may need it. This deal for Hampton should mean he can retire a Steeler.

Jeff Reed wants to stay with the Steelers, and the team seems to be on the same page in wanting to keep him. His price though likely went up this past week when the Raiders gave their kicker, Sebastian Janikowski, the biggest deal in history for a kicker.

The deal for Janikowski pays him $16 million over four years, including $9 million in guarantees. The agent for Reed says that the deal for the Raider kicker isn’t a big shock. “It doesn’t surprise me,” agent Don Henderson said. “It’s just about what I thought he would do. The ironic part is, if you take look at field goal kickers the last three years, Jeff leads league in field goal percentage.”

Reed has been as good as it comes when kicking the ball in tough Heinz Field. He’s even been better than Janikowski, as Reed’s percentage is 88.5 over the past three seasons, while Janikowski has made 80.2 of his kicks.

The average of the top 10 punters/kickers in the NFL before Janikowski’s contract was a little more than $2.8 million. Reed averaged about $1.5 million annually on his last contract with the Steelers. He’s stated he wants to kick for the Steelers, and the team has already opened talks with his agent. The question now is what really is Reed’s worth, and will the Steelers give it to him.

The Steelers offered a contract to Reed just before the 2009 season began that was rejected. “We tried to get something done before season and it just didn’t work out,” said Henderson. “We want to be in Pittsburgh and they know we want to be there.”

An interesting piece by Yahoo Sports’ Jason Cole today talking about the comparison between Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger and Colts QB Peyton Manning:

At the risk of being a heretic (or worse, completely agreeing with good friend Dutch Wydo), there is a case to be made that Ben Roethlisberger is a better quarterback than Peyton Manning.

Certainly in the playoffs.

Before you send that email calling me crazy or mocking me only days after I wrote that Manning is the fourth-best quarterback of all time, let’s put this in perspective. It is impossible to truly measure Roethlisberger against Manning or Tom Brady just yet.

Roethlisberger has played six years. His regular-season stats (only two seasons with more than 18 touchdown passes) pale in comparison to those of Manning, Brady and many other quarterbacks. In short, so much of his career is yet to be played that it’s silly to rank him even among the top 25 quarterbacks of all time.

Bottom line, it would take serious guts to draft Roethlisberger ahead of Manning at this point of their respective careers.

Click HERE to read the rest of the piece.

It’s interesting that this is coming up, as I was just doing a radio interview last night on a New York station on the game, and they asked me about Manning’s legacy, and if the loss Sunday pushed it back. I simply said that if QB’s are rated on wins, than the three you have to look at are Joe Montana, Terry Bradshaw and Otto Graham.

Now I didn’t put Ben in that group, but that’s only because that I think that his legacy is still in the process of being written. Look at Tom Brady and Manning, both QB’s have lost Super Bowls, and yet the media still insists they are the best QB’s ever.

Would I take Big Ben over Manning? Hmmm…that’s a tough call, probably not, but ask me that in a few years if Ben is 3-0 or hopefully 4-0 in Super Bowls, while Manning, who is now 9-9 in the playoffs, may be walking away .500 or less in the Super Bowl games the Colts play in.