Jason La Canfora reports that Mason Rudolph is most likely the next man up in the quarterback battle for the Pittsburgh Steelers, and the franchise may be open to trading backup Joshua Dobbs.
The Steelers selected Rudolph, an Oklahoma State alumnus, in the third round of the 2019 NFL Draft and may be looking to eventually give him the reins to the offense once Ben Roethlisberger hangs up his cleats. This decision could mean the beginning of the end for Dobbs in Pittsburgh, a third-year QB.
Dobbs played four years at the University of Tennessee before being drafted in the fourth round of the 2017 NFL Draft by the Steelers. He didn't see any regular season playing time as a rookie, and with a newly-christened quarterback coming in, it would seem unlikely that head coach Mike Tomlin will focus his energy on developing both him and Rudolph.
However, this may not mean it's the end of the road for Dobbs. According to Canfora's report, teams were envying the young quarterback last season and may do so again if they see the Steelers are open to trading the former Volunteer. He could be an interesting trade chip as the season progresses and quarterbacks inevitably endure unfortunate injuries.
Dobbs threw for only 43 yards in his five games of action for Pittsburgh a year ago. In his last season at Tennessee, he threw for 2,946 yards while completing 225 passes in 13 games.
Rudolph may be the shiny new QB, but that doesn't mean Dobbs is without value. He's got plenty of time and a strong showing in training camp could propel him into a trade that allows him to take the field at the professional level.
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