Pittsburgh Steelers: Assessing the quarterback position entering summer
The Pittsburgh Steelers OTAs and minicamps are done. Next up is training camp. So let’s look at the various positions and start with quarterback.
Welcome to our newest series for NFL Spin Zone. As the moment, the Pittsburgh Steelers have a little “down time” for now. That comes with the conclusion of organized team activities (OTAs) and minicamps. So we are taking a bit of a look at the various positions and units for Mike Tomlin’s club. First up are the Steelers’ quarterbacks, led by one of the best players at his position in the league.
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There was some speculation that veteran signal-caller Ben Roethlisberger was ready to hang it up after 13 seasons. Those thoughts came following a bitter 36-17 loss to the New England Patriots in the AFC title game. In early April, he made it clear that he would be coming back (via Twitter).
But it’s also obvious that the organization took his feelings to heart. The reality is that the 6-5, 240-pound quarterback is now 35 years old. He’s taken his share of punishment over the years due to his unique style. Under offensive coordinator Todd Haley, he’s in a system that has proven to be ideal for him in the latter stages of his career.
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Dating back to 2012 and Haley’s arrival, Roethlisberger has played in 71 regular-season games and thrown for 20,235 yards. He’s completes an impressive 65.4 percent of his throws and has served up more than twice as many touchdown passes (136) as interceptions (60). But once again, he is entering his 14th NFL season.
While Landry Jones has been a somewhat serviceable backup the past two seasons, the 2013 fourth-round pick from the University of Oklahoma may not be the team’s choice to eventually succeed “Big Ben.” General manager Kevin Colbert used another fourth-round pick in April on Tennessee’s Josh Dobbs. The Steelers also have rookie quarterback Bart Houston (Wisconsin) on the roster at the moment.
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Evaluation:
While the Pittsburgh Steelers offensive unit is very dependent on veteran Ben Roethlisberger, Mike Tomlin’s team is not a lost cause without him. That being said, this is currently a club that leans more on its ability to score points than it does stopping opponents. It will be interesting to see how Dobbs progresses over the summer and if he’s truly a threat to the backup job this season. All told, the team is in good hands when it comes to its arms.