The Steelers have traded WR Santonio Holmes to the Jets for a 2010 fifth round pick.

Let’s allow that statement to linger for a bit…

Ok, are you kidding me?

Now it’s no secret that Holmes has off-the-field issues and there’s a building consensus that he will face a four game suspension in 2010. Still, the lopsided nature of this trade is an absolute head scratcher.

Couldn’t the Steelers have waited and shopped Holmes a bit more? Wouldn’t all of those teams with interest in Brandon Marshall represent a prospect list for the Steelers and Holmes? If the Seahawks for instance have considered relinquishing a No. 1 for Marshall might they not give up a No. 2 or 3 for the Super Bowl XLIII star?

Look it’s not as though either player is going to help senior citizens cross the street.

So the Jets steal from the Steelers.

How could Pittsburgh let that happen?

Look the Rooneys didn’t wake up on Sunday and suddenly become stupid. Of course they know they could have gotten more than a fifth round pick (that might not even make the team) in exchange for a former first round pick who put up 79 catches and 1,248 yards in 2009. The fact that they didn’t is a message in and of itself.

The Steelers know Holmes better than the Jets and better than any other team. Their willingness to part with him just says that they are fed up.

Yet it might say even more.

Could Holmes be the Steelers sacrificial lamb?

Might they point to their willingness to practically give Holmes away as their way of no longer tolerating inappropriate off-the-field behavior?

Might it also serve as an organizational cop out if they do nothing to reprimand Ben Roethlisberger for all of his embarrassing outside the lines antics?

It will be interesting to hear how the Georgia courts proceed if at all with Roethlisberger later today and if they don’t even more interesting to hear the Steelers’ organizational spin on the developments.

When it all shakes out, Holmes will be the fall guy, Rex Ryan and his burgeoning collection of malcontents (Braylon Edwards, Antonio Cromartie, and Holmes) will be smiling in New York and Roethlisberger will escape trouble unscathed as he has so often during games.