The professional football career of Tajh Boyd has not gone as he had hoped. After leaving the Clemson Tigers with both school and Conference records in passing yards and touchdown passes, the 24-year-old quarterback was selected by the New York Jets with the 213th overall pick. He was cut by the end of preseason, never getting the chance to be in an NFL game. He spent 2014 in the NFL‘s minor league system. In February of next year, he worked out with the Detroit Lions before being signed to a one-year deal with the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Seeing that Steelers starting quarterback, Ben Roethlisberger, signed a five-year contract extension with a few years still left on his old contract, Boyd will not get much, if any, playing time in this season. What makes this move more curious is the fact that Pittsburgh drafted Oklahoma Sooners quarterback, Landry Jones, and signed him to a four-year deal. Boyd was bought in to battle Landry Jones for the third QB spot on the depth chart, behind Ben and veteran journeyman, Bruce Gradkowski.
With Gradkowski resting, Jones was put in as the backup during OTAs. Offensive coordinator Todd Haley described his performance as “a little up-and-down,” opening the door to the possibility of Tajh Boyd wowing Haley and head coach Mike Tomlin during training camp and preseason. Some might think that Jones is being matured as Roethlisberger’s replacement. However, the contract extension and last season’s spectacular season from Ben hurts the credibility of that theory.
Whatever the front office and coaching staff of Pittsburgh believes in, I highly doubt they would keep four quarterback spots going into an NFL season. With Ben set as the starter, and Bruce Gradkowski expected to keep his job as the backup, that leaves Boyd and Jones battling out for the third spot. Boyd, who had problems with accuracy and adapting to the NFL system on offense, has for the first time in his NFL career, spent an entire offseason for a single organization. Boyd likes the organization and has said he feels comfortable there.
Still, he has no room for error during the next two months if he wishes to stay with the organization.
Daniel Johnson is a Beat Writer for Rant Sports. Follow him on Twitter. “Like” him on Facebook. Add him to your network on Google.