NFL Tickets
The Pittsburgh Steelers are one of the fortunate teams that have had quarterback stability since the early 2000s. Although Ben Roethlisberger is still performing at a high level, you should expect to see a QB being taken by the team in the later rounds of the draft to groom as a formidable backup and a potential future starter.
The Steelers’ backups last year were Michael Vick and Landry Jones. Both saw the field in Roethlisberger’s absence and despite limited success, demonstrated that they’re each more of a liability than an asset. A good backup quarterback is often undervalued, though any team with championship aspirations should have a serviceable second-stringer so a promising season isn’t derailed due to an unexpected injury.
There are a few signal callers worth taking a flyer on in this week’s draft and you should expect Pittsburgh to make its move anywhere from the fourth through seventh rounds. Logically speaking, I look at two guys who are most likely to be wearing black and gold next season.
If the Steelers decide to take a quarterback earlier, it’ll likely be Ohio State‘s Cardale Jones. He received his first opportunity in 2014 when J.T. Barrett‘s season ended prematurely with an injury. Jones took over for the Buckeyes and led them to three straight postseason wins and a national championship. He was expected to take over with an elite roster and win another championship. Things didn’t go as planned in 2015, though, as Barrett took the job permanently midway through the season and never gave it back.
Jones has the frame and an elite NFL arm that puts him in the conversation despite his limited experience and struggles last season.
It’s more likely the Steelers will wait until the fifth or sixth round because of more pressing concerns defensively. Jones will likely be off the board by then, so I would expect Stanford‘s Kevin Hogan to be their guy. He’s relatively comparable to Roethlisberger in terms of frame and adequate mobility. He also ran a pro-style offense with the Cardinal. He’ll need good coaching and time to develop, which makes Pittsburgh the perfect destination. Barring an injury, he shouldn’t need to see the field for quite some time.
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