It remains to be seen how serious the Pittsburgh Steelers are about dealing two-time Super Bowl winning quarterback Ben Roethlisberger.

His recent transgressions, in some people's eyes, have made him expendable. I don't know how smart that thinking is, but if a deal does go down and Roethlisberger is dealt, Pittsburgh would have to get a veteran signal caller in return because it isn't a team that looks to be in rebuild mode.

The Steelers' roster isn't one filled with young studs. It's a veteran-laden squad that is set on winning right now. Pittsburgh gave up a seventh-round pick in this weekend's draft for quarterback Byron Leftwich, earlier this month and signed him to a two-year deal. The move fills out the QB spot on the team's depth chart and puts Leftwich in competition with veteran back-up Charlie Batch and second-year QB Dennis Dixon. Leftwich is a stopgap and was brought into Pittsburgh for his second stint with the team because he knows the system.

I think there's a better option on the market, though. If I'm an exec with the Steelers, I'm putting in a call to recently-retired Kurt Warner. The retirement is still fresh, and I'm sure he still has the the itch to play. Warner is a proven quarterback, while Leftwich, well, isn't.

Roethlisberger is expected to serve a six-week suspension to start the season, meaning he would miss his teams first five games - if he's not traded. With Roethlisberger, I'd pick Pittsburgh to win four of those five (against Atlanta, Tennessee, Tampa Bay, Baltimore and Cleveland). Without him, and with Leftwich, they might win two of those.

Warner could win four of those five, as well, and serve as a more than serviceable placeholder until Roethlisberger returns. Based on his last two seasons in Arizona, where he took the team to a Super Bowl in one season and close to it in another, it's obvious Warner still has more than a little left in his tank.

Warner may say no, but Pittsburgh brass owes it to themselves and to their fanbase to put the team in the best position to win until Roethlisberger returns...if Roethlisberger isn't traded. If he is dealt, Pittsburgh would be wise to ask for, along with draft picks, another team's starting quarterback.