We first heard last week a rumor that the woman accusing Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger of sexual assault wanted to drop the case but that her lawyer, Calvin Dunlap, had strongly advised her against it.

We opted at the time not to mention it here, since we weren’t sure how widespread the rumor truly was.

But we’ve heard the rumor again this morning from a completely separate source, and based on recent developments in the case we’re now convinced that the recent push by Roethlisberger to leverage the accuser into walking away suggests that his lawyers believe that the accuser is indeed wavering.

(By the way, some of you have objected to our characterization of recent statements made in briefs filed on behalf of Roethlisberger as being made by Roethlisberger himself. Though the words are coming from his lawyers, they are speaking on his behalf. Thus, their words are his words. So, for example, when the lawyers say that the accuser is mentally unstable, then Roethsliberger himself is making that assertion. We realize that the use of such strong words might not mesh with the image that some fans have of Roethlisberger. In our view, however, pretending that the words aren’t really his isn’t the best way to come to terms with the reality that, right or wrong, Roethlisberger is indeed using very strong terms to defend himself.)

The lengthy filing that Roethlisberger made on August 21 in support of his motion to dismiss the case suggests that his lawyers might have caught wind of the rumor right here. Not in an official story on the site, but from a comment posted in response to one of our stories from last week.

The potential risk, in our view, is that by pushing the accuser so aggressively to drop the case, Roethlisberger might eventually cause her to decide to stand firm and fight. (For more on this specific dynamic of the human condition, rent or buy Changeling on DVD.)

The accuser’s final decision in this regard might largely hinge on whether the accuser really is telling the truth. If she isn’t, the smart move would be to throw in the towel and move on.

The problem is that Dunlap possibly has inserted language into his standard fee agreement that would require the plaintiff to reimburse him for all out-of-pocket expenses incurred if the plaintiff acts against Dunlap’s advice. So if the plaintiff wants out, she might need to write Dunlap a check bigger than what she can afford. (Typically, the plaintiff’s expenses and legal fees are paid from any settlement or judgment, with no cost to the plaintiff if the case ultimately fails.)

That’s why we now think the best move for Roethlisberger would be to dangle a chunk of the money he has been spending on legal fees of his own (which are paid by the hour, usually monthly) for a quick and quiet settlement, with very strong language ensuring that the plaintiff and Dunlap will keep the settlement a secret. The goal wouldn’t be to make the plaintiff rich, but to give the plaintiff and Dunlap a popcorn trail out of this mess in a manner that allows both of them to save face.

The presence of multiple other defendants complicates the process, however. But we think it should be fairly easy for Harrah’s and Roethlisberger to put together a nuisance-level settlement package and resolve this thing under circumstances that will appear to be an abandonment by the plaintiff — if she also will agree to publicly exonerate Roethlisberger as part of the deal.

So even though Roethlisberger has adopted an extremely aggressive approach, he arguably has been too aggressive to permit a dismissal with no strings attached. If he decides to soften his defense in the short term, he might be able to put this thing behind him via a settlement that, to the average person, would look like a complete and total vindication.