INDIANAPOLIS — The Pittsburgh Steelers have a number of decisions to make before the start of free agency and the new NFL year March 10, but the Steelers already have made a big one.

Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger’s contract extension talks are underway and are expected to be completed before too long.

“There is no timetable,” general manager Kevin Colbert said at the NFL Scouting Combine. “We will continue to work on it and hopefully get something done sooner than later.”

Roethlisberger is under contract for 2015. His new deal will be for at least six years and maybe longer. It also will reduce his salary-cap number for this year, which currently stands at $18.4 million, and that includes an $11 million salary.

Other decisions will come on four venerable defensive stalwarts: Defensive end Brett Keisel, safety Troy Polamalu, cornerback Ike Taylor and linebacker James Harrison. Keisel and Polamalu, both under contract for 2015, could be cut. Taylor won’t be invited back. Harrison, also not under contract, is not expected to return.

A bigger decision is what they will do with outside linebacker Jason Worilds. He received almost $10 million last season playing under the transition tag. They can tag him again even though his 7.5 sacks were not what they had hoped or paid for. But it does not sound as if that is their plan.

“We have talked,” Colbert said of discussions with him and his agent. “He understands that if he doesn’t get tagged, which we could still do that, he will explore the market and see what is out there. We will stay in communication. Maybe he comes back. Maybe he moves on. But he’s been a good player for us and we would love to have him back if it all fits.”

Another issue is cornerback Cortez Allen. The Steelers signed him to a five-year, $25 million contract last August and they benched him at midseason because he played so poorly. He is due a $3 million roster bonus March 14 plus a salary of $2.6 million. They could decide to cut ties with him now and not send more good money after bad, but they still believe he has enough talent to be a good cornerback and they’re not exactly brimming with prospects at the position.