Ben Roethlisberger could have been the quarterback the Browns are still looking for

It’s difficult to imagine Ben Roethlisberger playing quarterback for any team but the Pittsburgh Steelers, but before the 2004 draft, he thought he was going to be end up with the Cleveland Browns.

Roethlisberger, an Ohio native, said on a conference call with the Cleveland media Wednesday that the Browns had hosted him for a private workout prior to the draft, and it went well enough that he expected to be drafted by Cleveland.

It’s not something Roethlisberger dwells on all these years later.

Just imagine Roethlisberger’s name sandwiched in here between Kelly Holcomb’s and Josh McCown’s. Actually, maybe this never-ending list would have stopped right there.

The Browns drafted Kellen Winslow with the sixth overall pick in 2004, and Winslow was a solid player for Cleveland, but they may regret the decision to pass on Roethlisberger.

Roethlisberger was also surprised that the Browns didn’t select Carson Wentz in the 2016 draft. Wentz would have been a reasonable choice for a team that’s had nothing but instability at the quarterback position.

Instead, the Browns traded away the second overall pick to the Eagles, and Wentz has led Philadelphia to a 5-4 record.

Sure, the Cavaliers just won a championship and the Indians are fresh off a World Series loss, but Roethlisberger was complimentary about the Browns, despite the fact that Cleveland has yet to win a game.

The Steelers have struggled of late, with Roethlisberger going so far as to call the team “undisciplined and not accountable.” Pittsburgh will hope to correct the issues that led to the Week 10 loss against the Cowboys and avoid handing the Browns their first win of the season this week.