In 2020, the Pittsburgh Steelers drafted six players, addressing needs at running back and wide receiver, but the team avoided taking a backup quarterback. After struggling to an 8-8 record and missing the playoffs last year, Pittsburgh must address their depth at quarterback.
Last season, Ben Roethlisberger exited a Week 2 matchup against the Seattle Seahawks and did not return. He suffered an elbow injury that required season-ending surgery, which pushed Mason Rudolph into the spotlight.
The Steelers used a third-round pick on Rudolph in 2018, making him the first quarterback selected after Lamar Jackson. However, Rudolph appeared unready for the starting job.
The Oklahoma State product produced respectable performances in Weeks 4 and 5. In both instances, he finished the game with a passer rating over 100. In his other six starts, Rudolph never finished with a rating over 86, and twice he finished in the 30s.
Devlin Hodges made six starts for Pittsburgh in 2019. He led the Steelers to a Week 6 victory when Rudolph suffered an injury in the previous game. The champion duck caller also started the team's final five games when Mike Tomlin finally decided to bench Rudolph.
In total, Hodges and Rudolph combined to throw 18 touchdowns and 17 interceptions this past season. Neither finished with a quarterback ranking about 83, and both completed less than 63% of their pass attempts.
The Steelers desperately need a veteran quarterback they can count on to back up Roethlisberger. Recently, the New Orleans Saints signed Jameis Winston to a one-year, $1.1 million deal. The Dallas Cowboys also signed a veteran, adding Andy Dalton on a one-year contract worth up to $7 million.
Reports appeared that Winston turned down a more lucrative deal from Pittsburgh, but Steelers general manager Kevin Colbert shot down those rumors. However, Jonathan Bombulie of the Tribune-Review reported that Pittsburgh also offered Dalton more money than Dallas.
Colbert remains dedicated to Rudolph, but there's a strong contingent of individuals who believe the Steelers want a veteran quarterback. Frankly, the Steelers cannot rely on Rudolph if Big Ben gets hurt in 2020.
After extensive rehab, Roethlisberger told Ron Cook of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette in March that he feels younger because he's throwing without pain for the first time in a while.
During the same interview, Big Ben added that he's throwing 20-yard passes regularly, and will “gradually ramp up the number of days and the throws and the distance and the velocity.”
While the future Hall of Fame quarterback might feel better, he's got an extensive injury history. Roethlisberger has only played a full 16-game season four times in his 16-year career.
Fans hope Roethlisberger can return to his 2018 form this coming season. That year, Roethlisberger completed 67% of his pass attempts while throwing for 5,129 yards and 34 touchdowns.
As for signing a veteran quarterback, Blake Bortles, Joe Flacco, and Cam Newton all remain unsigned. However, Joseph Person of The Athletic recently reported Newton will not sign as a backup. He only wants starting offers and could wait for a spot to open during the 2020 season.
After waiting for so long, the backup quarterback market looks dry. Flacco looked washed up in Denver last year, and Bortles only threw two passes all season long. Regardless, the Steelers cannot enter the 2020 season with Rudolph and Hodges as Roethlisberger's primary backups. Those two cannot support the offense.
The Steelers currently employ five quarterbacks. Besides Hodges, Roethlisberger, and Rudolph, J.T. Barrett and Paxton Lynch are also on the roster.
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