Pittsburgh Steelers: 3 Players to watch vs. Titans in Preseason Week 3

Joshua Dobbs, QB

So far, Dobbs has not impressed this preseason. Mason Rudolph has gotten the better of him through two weeks and is looking like he’ll be immediately behind Ben Roethlisberger on the depth chart. Sure, Dobbs has greater mobility, but Rudolph has completed a higher percentage of his passes and has better ball placement.

The Steelers drafted Dobbs in the fourth round of the 2017 NFL Draft, then promptly took Rudolph in the third round the following year. Based on college production and draft pedigree, Dobbs was always going to be fighting an uphill battle against Rudolph. It was just a matter of time.

Last season, Rudolph didn’t appear in a single game. That’s not surprising. Dobbs went through the same thing when the Steelers still had Landry Jones on the roster. Dobbs appeared in five games last season, filling in for Ben Roethlisberger when the veteran was injured or when Pittsburgh had a commanding lead on the scoreboard. Dobbs went 6-12 for 43 yards and an interception. He doesn’t exactly inspire confidence as a backup quarterback.

Dobbs got a lot of credit for making a crucial 22-yard throw in Week 9 against the Baltimore Ravens, but he also performed horribly against the lowly Oakland Raiders in Week 14. So far, he’s still displaying some of his poor tendencies this preseason. He’s underthrown James Washington in both preseason games, turning potential 70 to 80-yard touchdowns into 40-yard gains.

Time is running out for Dobbs to show he still deserves the top quarterback backup position. Rudolph is closing in on the position, but everything could change if Dobbs comes out and has a big game against the Titans.