Andrew Luck’s sudden retirement from the NFL has sparked a frenzy across the league. Even teams with very little involvement in the situation are seeing some speculation popup: everything from how Luck’s retirement benefits another franchise (insinuating the Colts won’t be as credible of an opponent this season) or how Indianapolis now needs to improve their quarterback situation.

The latter got me into a very lively debate on Twitter the other day, as Steelers fans suddenly started jumping aboard a train to trade backup quarterback Joshua Dobbs. With only one real rumor floating around that either party would be interested in discussing a deal for the Steelers third-year passer, it hasn’t stopped folks from speculating about the possibilities.

This is where I usually come in as the voice of reason.

For the last three weeks of the preseason, Steelers Nation has been abuzz about the rise of last year’s third round pick, QB Mason Rudolph; a player that the organization apparently had a first round grade on and took great glee in acquiring, despite using a fourth round pick on Dobbs in the draft a year prior.

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With a year in the system, Rudolph has looked sharp this preseason, presumably battling Dobbs for the team’s backup quarterback job; one in which Dobbs himself was in a fierce battle with Landry Jones last offseason to win.

And he did.

But that Josh Dobbs, who led six different touchdown drives of 70-plus yards in three games last preseason, doesn’t appear to be the same one who is under center this preseason. His not-so-appealing performances haven’t been miserably terrible, as you may see from other backups around the NFL. However, it has lacked the “pop” that had us all fall in love with the idea of Dobbs backing up Ben Roethlisberger in 2018.

That had me pose this question on Twitter:

So which is it #SteelersNation: is Dobbs good or bad? If you're saying he's good enough for a trade, then he has value, right? Also means he still has value to the Steelers too and that's more than a late round pick. #JustSayin

— Joe Kuzma (SCU) (@Joe_Kuzma) August 27, 2019

Let me back up a second and explain the heart of this comment. All of a sudden everyone thinks Dobbs isn’t good enough to be the backup. Does that mean they believe he’s not as good as he was? Or does it mean they think he’s not good at all?

Regardless, if he’s not as good as he once was, why on Earth would a team trade for a player who, for all intents and purposes of this article’s argument, “sucks”?

And if a team believes Dobbs isn’t that good, then what would the Steelers be getting in return?

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I understand that part of this equation is undrafted quarterback Devlin Hodges play thus far throughout camp and the preseason. A record-setting passer at FCS level Samford, Hodges is one of if not the best fourth quarterback to be in camp in a very long time.

Typically, the fourth quarterback hanging around the depth chart is simply called a “camp body”. That is, they are expendable and only seen as fit to help give the starter some rest and lead drills.

Hodges has proven to be more than that, but has he proven enough to be more than what Dobbs offers?

Let’s give this some thought: the Steelers have invested three offseasons of training into Joshua Dobbs, plus a fourth-round draft pick. He still has two seasons left on his rookie contract, and has also seen minimal NFL experience, attempting a dozen passes in various spots throughout last year.

That doesn’t quite equate with some trades we’ve seen in the past for quarterbacks such as Jimmy Garoppolo, who the 49ers spent a second-round pick on to acquire from New England in his final year of his contract with the Patriots.

Take another Patriots backup quarterback, Ryan Mallett, who was drafted in the third round. After spending three full seasons behind Tom Brady, the understudy was shipped to the Houston Texans for a conditional seventh round pick. (The trade, made in 2014, would not materialize for New England until 2016.)

Another similar situation is Brett Hundley, who spelled Aaron Rodgers in Green Bay back in 2017. At the end of last preseason, Hundley was shipped to the Seattle Seahawks for a sixth round pick. The difference, however, is that Hundley, a former fifth-round selection, had appeared in 15 career games and thrown over 300 pass attempts.

That’s a far cry from Dobbs’ 12 total, with a 50% completion mark.

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So what does this mean for Dobbs’ value?

The outlook isn’t good on a return for the Steelers, versus what he could offer the team in value should he stay put. First, a conditional pick may not even meet the conditions to give the Steelers anything in return. That’s what “conditional” means.

That leaves us to what Dobbs is worth and it certainly isn’t going to be a fourth-round pick at this venture. If Jimmy G was a bonafide star in the making and the Patriots could only seize a second rounder, his exact value from the draft, what will the Steelers fetch for someone without any career starts?

That’s the gamble and not one that’s likely worth risking, in my opinion.

With two years left on his rookie deal, Dobbs was already the backup to Roethlisberger and has a smidge of real NFL experience. Combine that with his fourth-round pedigree and three training camps (and two seasons) worth of on the job experience, and I’m not sure it’s worth parting with a literal rocket scientist for the return of a late round draft pick.

That pick would likely be a sixth or seventh round selection, at best.

For those who were already claiming Dobbs was a “wasted pick”, would you still feel the same way if that’s all the Steelers got?

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There’s also chatter of a player-for-player trade, but again, it’s much of the same dilemma. If you’re trading a would-be third string quarterback who could be a backup quarterback, then you can’t expect a starter in return.

At least I don’t believe so.

You also have to consider if other teams would feel compelled to make a deal. With the waiver priority the same as the draft order, perhaps a team such as Indianapolis would have to trade with the Steelers to insure they get their guy, before he’s claimed by another franchise with a higher priority.

Again, this is assuming a few more things on the Steelers end too:

• They like their future with Mason Rudolph as Big Ben’s backup.
• They feel as if Devlin Hodges is a capable third-string quarterback over Dobbs.
• The are comfortable if Hodges had to actually play.
• Dobbs offers nothing further in upside.
• Dobbs offers nothing further in the quarterback room while game planning week-to-week, or holding a clipboard/headset on the sidelines. (He is a rocket scientist after all.)
• They feel they’re being fairly compensated.
• They’re actually considering a trade.

I think, chief among them, the thought that Devlin Hodges actually has to play is the indicator that Dobbs is going nowhere anytime soon. While Dobbs hasn’t had the best preseason, we have seen flashes of what he can do.

And it’s not unlike a third string quarterback hasn’t seen meaningful action in the NFL. Just look at the 49ers last season, where they had to put Nick Mullens in after losing Garoppolo and C.J. Beathard. Or the Houston Texans after losing Deshaun Watson and Tom Savage.

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Or just look at the Pittsburgh Steelers: Ben Roethlisberger was the third string quarterback in his rookie season and wound up the starter. Charlie Batch was sitting at the end of the bench for Byron Leftwich and Dennis Dixon, but still got the call, as well as Landry Jones, who passed over for Michael Vick, until he too was injured.

There’s value in having as many seasoned quarterbacks on your depth chart as possible: it’s the most important position on the field, after all. I believe the Steelers have a wealth of talent with this group this season, even to where we’re considering Hodges to make the squad.

But in the end, I don’t feel the risk of losing Dobbs is worth the payoff: at least at this time.

With two more years remaining on his contract and Rudolph still being a virtual unknown when it comes to regular season action as well, Pittsburgh has a tough decision to make if their phone rings, but unless it’s better than the banker’s offer on Deal or No Deal, I’d be saying “no deal” to most of the likely offers.

Steel City Underground will pick a play of the game from each side of the ball each week of the Steelers 2018 season. Stay tuned as we hand select the very best from the black and gold!

We all know how tough Ben Roethlisberger is, but on Sunday an unfortunate situation for “Big Ben” turned into a fortuitous opportunity for backup quarterback Joshua Dobbs and the Steelers offense.

As the fourth quarter was just getting underway, the Baltimore Ravens had the ball. Vince Williams and Bud Dupree turned up the heat in pressuring Joe Flacco and the resulting sack forced the Ravens into a three-and-out. After the punt, the Steelers offense got the ball at their own 15-yard line. Things got a little weird and the Ravens were looking for an opportunity to either grab a safety or capitalize on a Pittsburgh error as Roethlisberger had his back to his own end zone.

Roethlisberger took the snap and was forced out of the pocket almost immediately, running for the sideline and the first-down marker to his right. Za’Darius Smith and his 272 (listed) pounds came crashing down as Roethlisberger went to the ground. The initial thought was that Roethlisberger had injured his throwing shoulder as the two went to the turf.

Out trotted Dobbs as Roethlisberger was tended to on the sideline. The second-year play-caller could have been sent in with a conservative, play-it-safe play with the ball at the Steelers’ 5-yard line due to a holding penalty called on Alejandro Villanueva during the play where Roethlisberger was injured. Facing second-and-20, Dobbs came out and threw a smoking hot dart over the middle of the field to a wide open JuJu Smith-Schuster for a critical first down. The brilliant pass-and-catch went for 22 yards and illustrated that Dobbs has apparently gathered zero rust while manning the sideline.

“Breaking News” might not be the best way to describe the following statement, but rookie quarterback Joshua Dobbs has been a polarizing Pittsburgh Steeler ever since being drafted.

If you followed along with the site throughout our draft coverage, you already know how I feel about Dobbs. I made it fairly obvious that I wanted the Steelers to target the Tennessee prospect at some point in the upcoming draft. While at the same time, I understood the popular opinion of not wanting to use a draft pick on a quarterback this year, for the most part.

The one thing I refused to understand, though, was the theory that a raw player like Dobbs would not be able to grow in Pittsburgh due to lack of repetitions and playing time in both practice and game settings. The idea that Pittsburgh would spend as high as a fourth round pick (which they did) on a quarterback, just to let him sit on the side and not even try to learn, blows my mind.

This was not a seventh round flyer pick, or an undrafted free agent signing ladies and gentlemen. The Steelers clearly had, and currently have, a plan for their young quarterback, and that is to develop; Into what? I honestly don’t think the team knows that yet! But I’m sure they would like to find out, especially after using as high of a pick as they did on him.

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Since Dobbs has been selected by the Steelers, we have seen a mixed-bag of treats from the quarterback. There have been some poor decisions, followed by some pretty passes and improvisation. Practice reports have been similar, often referring to the young buck as “inconsistent.”

The important thing, however, is this: Josh Dobbs is learning due to a surplus of reps.

Dobbs has gotten these reps due to a few different scenarios.  Landry Jones is normally the backup quarterback but has been out with an injury. Veteran quarterback Ben Roethlisberger has been given his usual off time. Granted, no one could have foreseen Landry getting hurt, resulting in more reps for Dobbs. On the other side, Roethlisberger (especially at this stage of his career) plays minimal preseason snaps so that should have been considered.

I think it’s safe to say we all have seen what Jones can do.  Jones is the perfect backup quarterback; he can come in for a game and get you a win or two, everybody already knows that. I find it very hard to believe they were going to give Jones anywhere near the number of snaps he received during the 2016 preseason (where he led ALL quarterbacks in snaps played), even if he was healthy. There is nothing left to discover about his playing ability.

Pittsburgh is also one of the few fan bases in the NFL going through the harsh reality of believing their long term franchise quarterback is pondering retirement. Yes, the city of champions has been “hashtag blessed” by the circus of Ben Roethlisberger retirement comments this past off-season.

The verdict is still out on how much longer we all get to see the future Hall of Famer on the field, but his doubts on playing beyond 2017 were known well before the draft. The fact that this was known by the team only furthers my reasoning to suggest that Pittsburgh had a plan to get Dobbs experience. They very well could need to target another quarterback high in next year’s draft if Dobbs doesn’t show anything promising.

But how would Pittsburgh even find that out, without getting him experience and reps? If they did not have a plan for their 4th round pick, then it really would have been a dumb pick!

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I like to give the Steelers and their front office a lot more credit than that. Believing Dobbs was a waste of a pick as soon as it happened is like believing Kevin Colbert and Mike Tomlin threw darts blindfolded at pictures of prospects and happened to hit him. They certainly didn’t pick him to gather dust in the corner. They need to find out what they have in the rookie, and they know that.

Landry Jones is participating in practice this afternoon.

— Missi Matthews (@missi_matthews) August 16, 2017

Jones did return to practice on Wednesday, but whether he’ll be ready to face the Falcons on Sunday at Heinz Field has yet to be decided. Roethlisberger has already been ruled ‘out’ (shocker), which was going to happen whether Jones could go or not. Even if Jones musters up the strength to play on Sunday, I expect at least a quarter of playing time to go to Dobbs, probably more.

When it’s all said and done, the signs of Pittsburgh having a drawn out plan for Dobbs far outweighs the assumption that he is only gaining experience due to an injury to Jones. ‘Big Ben’ doesn’t do preseason snaps, and Jones is who we thought he was.

Roethlisberger could be done as a Steeler as soon as next year (not that I want that), and the franchise needs to see what Dobbs can do before spending another high pick on a quarterback.

So is it really that surprising Josh Dobbs has gotten so many reps, on a team close to searching for their next quarterback? Is it really that surprising the team has a plan for their fourth round pick? I just don’t buy that. Here’s to continuing to watch Josh Dobbs grow as a Steeler, like Kevin Colbert and Mike Tomlin intended.

Is Josh Dobbs the “next man up”?

“Next Man Up” is a philosophy that Mike Tomlin has employed for as long as he’s been the leader of the black and gold. It’s a phrase uttered just about as often as he says “the standard is the standard”. Sometimes those mantras fit, other times they don’t.

Soon enough, whether it be in 2018, 2019 or beyond, Ben Roethlisberger is going to retire and one of Tomlins’ favorite phrases will be tested in terms of replacing his Hall of Fame QB.

Who will be the “Next Man Up” and will the “Standard be the Standard” with that successor?

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Enter Josh Dobbs. The rookie who made his pro football debut the other night was drafted to potentially serve the purpose of replacing Big Ben.

Dobbs played decently enough in his Steeler debut, completing eight passes for 100 yards and a touchdown. But along with two interceptions, he won’t be the guy to step in this season, should Ben go down with an injury; that job stays with Landry Jones, but Dobbs is positioned to surpass Jones when the time to be a full-time starter comes, which is not far off.

Dobbs showed poise vs. the Giants, making a few good passes and scrambling for yardage. He brings a little bit of a pocket passer along with the mobile quarterback that is needed in today’s NFL. Dobbs comes from the SEC, the conference that touts the most NFL players, which gives him a toughness that some rookies don’t yet have when entering the league.

As a senior at Tennessee, Dobbs completed 63% of his passes for over 2,900 yards and 27 touchdowns. He added another 831 yards on the ground for 12 more scores. In the SEC, playing against NFL level talent, those numbers are no joke. SEC football and NFL football are in no way, shape or form an apples to apples comparison, however, if I’m looking for collegiate level production to translate over to the NFL, I’ll start in the SEC and work my way from there. Dobbs proved his worth at the highest level of college football, in my opinion.

Two years ago, the king of college football, Nick Saban said about Dobbs:

He’s just developed into a really fine quarterback.

Saban knows a thing or two about football and I’ll take his word any day. Add a few years of college success to that, plus, ideally, a year or two of pro football practice and sideline experience, while being mentored by a Hall of Fame quarterback and Dobbs will be ready to soar when it’s his time.

Unlike Landry Jones, Dobbs is being groomed to be the guy. He hasn’t lost the fans yet, as Jones has, which can be critical to a quarterback’s development and quite frankly, as long as Jones is wearing a Steeler uniform, Dobbs will ultimately be a fan favorite, only furthering his opportunity to succeed.

When asked about what he’s taken away from Big Ben thus far, Dobbs said:

The things that have been invaluable; seeing how he practices and how he runs the team, getting in and out of the huddle quickly, at the line of scrimmage; his communication.

Where he goes with the ball, just sitting back and watching him. It’s also been invaluable to just sit in the film room and hear his thoughts on my reps, his thoughts on his reps and what he’s thinking and how he approaches each day.

Ben has a plan each day of what routes he wants to cover with the receivers or what signals he wants to cover. Just having an overall good approach to the day, I think has been the biggest thing to take from him.

This kid is wise beyond his years to watch a guy like Big Ben and pick up the nuances such as an approach to the day. Veteran stuff from a rookie.

But Dobbs doesn’t stop with learning from Roethlisberger, he knows he has leadership and invaluable experience with his receivers too. When asked if he’s picked anything up from Antonio Brown, Dobbs stated:

Just what he sees, he definitely has a different perspective. Hearing what he sees, how he’s approaching each look, what routes he likes to run. How he feels like he can create separation from the defense and get open.

Watching him in practice, talking with him and getting on that same page, to get that information from a receiver’s perspective who’s really good at what he does; it definitely gives a quarterback a different viewpoint on the game of football.

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It’s not all about potential though, it’s about what is being done on the field as well. And Dobbs is doing that early in his rookie campaign.

Dobbs is clearly not just throwing words around when talking about learning from Big Ben. In practice, he can be noticed working through his progressions, making checks at the line of scrimmage, talking to the receivers after plays and most of all, he’s getting an opportunity to do some of this with the first team as Roethlisberger is given a breather and Jones continues to be sidelined.

Cobi Hamilton, who had a productive evening on Friday with Dobbs under center, said:

He’s focusing, he’s getting better every day.

He also stated that after the first two interceptions that were thrown Dobbs’ demeanor didn’t change. That’s exactly what a team leader should be like, that’s what you want in your future.

He’s a good passer. I know he’s capable of doing it

Dobbs himself understands the position he’s in, too. He knows the QB position comes with scrutiny, perhaps even more so in Pittsburgh. He understands what it takes to leave a game and learn from it.

There’s always things to go back and improve on. It’s a great learning opportunity. We’ll work on those today in practice.

He also mentions using those areas of improvement to help prepare for next weeks’ game. He just gets it.

Throughout the game, there’s always going to be adversity. You’re going to make good plays and you’re going to make some mistakes.

That statement defines him, even keeled, smart, understanding. He speaks as though he’s a veteran, not a rookie coming off of his first preseason game ever. Speaking of playing quarterback, Dobbs stated

Your team is looking at you throughout adversity. You just got to keep your head up, keep working hard, stay focused and locked in and not be fazed throughout the game.

Dobbs goes on to discuss the little things that he already realizes can be worked on, such as getting out of the huddle quicker, checks at the line and of course communication.

He’s got a good head on his shoulders and it shows on the field but also as he is surrounded by the Pittsburgh media wanting to dissect his every thought coming out of Friday night’s victory. He speaks humbly, says nothing controversial but looks you in the eye and has a smile on his face.

The moment isn’t too big for him, just as playing quarterback isn’t. He’s poised, he’s polished and he will be the “Next Man Up”.

Tennessee quarterback Joshua Dobbs landed on a franchise that will soon be looking for Ben Roethlisberger‘s replacement. Dobbs will be given a chance to show the Steelers what he’s capable of in the coming seasons. For now, let’s take a look at what Dobbs’ future could resemble.

	Joshua Dobbs
Height	6′ 3″
Weight	218 lbs.
Arm Length	31 1/4″
Hands	9 7/8″

Strengths

• Quick, tight release when throwing the ball
• Had the 5th best quarterback rating under pressure last year, according to PFF (105.7)
• Fantastic overall athleticism for the position
• Very shifty in the pocket – can make defenders miss with elite lateral agility
• Can eat up massive chunks of yardage with his legs
• Very good in timing and rhythm passing
• Great mental toughness – not phased by mistakes
• Eye-popping deep throw accuracy – completed nearly 48% on 20-plus yard throws and 14 touchdowns
• Throws a tight spiral with adequate velocity
• Fantastic pocket awareness – can step up or escape when needed
• Not afraid to deliver a throw and take a big hit
• Was poise despite constant pressure due to poor offensive line play
• Shows ability to work through his reads
• Potential for sub-package use because of athleticism
• Had many on-target passes dropped by his wide receivers

Weaknesses

• Thin frame – could stand to add weight
• Not injury prone, but slight build could make him susceptible to injury at the next level
• Struggles with accuracy at times – misses too many routine throws
• Loses sight of defenders at times late in the down, forcing bad decisions
• Adequate, but not great velocity on his throws
• Inconsistent footwork at times – sometimes causing the ball to sail
• Flashes tremendous potential, but needs to be more consistent

Analysis

If you watched Dobbs in college, it wouldn’t take you long to realize he is one of the best running quarterbacks in all of college football. He can cover a lot of ground in just a few seconds. Here he is putting his legs on display vs Nebraska:

Later in the game, Dobbs finds a small crease on a quarterback run and eats up big yardage in a hurry:

When Josh Dobbs is able to step up in the pocket and deliver the ball on time, good things normally happen. Here’s an example of that:

Dobbs doesn’t get enough credit as a pocket passer. Here he is going through his progressions, stepping up in the pocket, and delivering a strike to his receiver for a 1st down.

Dobbs is a wizard at times when it comes to escaping pressure. In this play, he recognizes the offensive line is collapsing, eludes a defender, and makes a beautiful throw on the run (which is yet again dropped):

Dobbs shows why mobility can be so important in the red zone. Here he is taking off for a score:

Dobbs tends to struggle with accuracy at times, however. When his timing is thrown off, his footwork and form often suffer. Here is an example of one of those times, where Dobbs misses a routine throw that was nearly picked off by Nebraska:

Though Dobbs had his issues with accuracy at times, he got next to no help from his teammates. The Tennessee receivers had a tendency of dropping the ball often – especially on some catches that should have gone for big plays. Here is an example from the game vs Nebraska:

In the very same game, here’s another beautiful ball that should have gone for a touchdown, if not for wildly inconsistent hands by Tennessee wideouts:

Dobbs gets a bad rap for not being efficient on 3rd downs, but often times, it’s the receiver who makes the big mistake. Here’s a pass to Alvin Kamara that should have gone for a touchdown:

Player Comparison: Dak Prescott, Dallas Cowboys 

This comparison seems cliche in so many ways, and fans who have been following Dobbs closely have no doubt heard this many times. However, the similarities between these two quarterbacks are undeniable. Prescott was slightly more advanced in college as a pure passer, but Dobbs was a superior runner. Despite a few minor differences in play style, these quarterbacks share many things in common.

Both quarterbacks are plus athletes, but differ a bit in terms of body type. Dobbs is taller and leaner, while Prescott weighed ten pounds more coming out and has massive hands. Though they played against the exact same competition during the same time, Josh Dobbs had a better college yards per attempt, breakout age, and SPARQ-x score than Prescott. These aren’t always indicators that a player is going to be a good quarterback, but it helps.

Prescott and Dobbs were both considered among the best quarterbacks in the SEC during their senior years. Their numbers are much more similar than most people realize:

Player	Conf	Class	Games	Comp. Pct	Y/A	TD	Int	QBR	Rush Yds	YPC	Rush TD	PPG	Record	SEC Record
Dak Prescott	SEC	SR	13	66.2	8	29	5	151	588	3.7	10	34.4	9W-4L	4W-4L
Joshua Dobbs	SEC	SR	13	63	8.3	27	12	150.6	831	5.5	12	36.4	9W-4L	4W-4L

Both quarterbacks started 13 games and had very similar completion percentages and yards per attempt. Though Dobbs threw twice as many interceptions as Prescott (I counted three that were the receiver’s fault), their quarterback ratings were still remarkably similar. Dobbs surpassed Prescott in production on the ground and Tennessee’s offense under Dobbs averaged two more points per game than Mississippi State in Prescott’s senior campaign. What is perhaps most intriguing of all, however, is that they both earned the same overall record and the same conference record in the SEC.

Everyone is also aware that Prescott and Dobbs were drafted with the exact same pick just one year apart (4th round, 135th overall). Remember, nobody was calling Prescott a first round pick last year before the draft. Here is how Prescott and Dobbs were viewed by credible draft websites before they were drafted:

Player	NFL.com (Zierlein)	ESPN (McShay)	Draft Wire	Bleacher Report	Pro Football Focus	NFL Draft Scout
Dak Prescott	3rd round	4th round	6th round	3rd round	6th-7th round (221 overall)	4th-5th round
Joshua Dobbs	3rd round	2nd round	N/A	4th round	6th (200 overall)	5th-6th round

As you can see, most of the hype on Prescott came after the draft and after he was already in a Cowboys uniform. In terms of prospects coming out of college, Dobbs and Prescott were viewed very similarly. Not only were both players were drafted with the same pick and played in the same conference, they showcased excellent composure in leading their teams to successful seasons in the SEC. Both quarterbacks can run with the football but are pocket passers first. Likewise, both were winners despite a lack of overall talent on their respective teams. It’s not hard to see why they can be compared.

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Bottom Line

In the fourth round of the 2016 draft, the Steelers went with perhaps the player with the highest upside on the board. ESPN’s Todd McShay approves of the selection. Here’s what he had to say about the Steelers taking Dobbs:

Dobbs has a chance to be a good starter in this league, and landing with a team such as Pittsburgh will only increase his chances. Dobbs has a live arm and the ability to throw with anticipation, and his excellent mobility comes in handy when he needs to extend plays. I’m really impressed with Dobbs’ makeup; he juggled aerospace engineering classes and being a starting quarterback in the SEC. Imagine what he’ll be able to do as he focuses solely on football. Dobbs is the perfect quarterback for the Steelers to draft and learn from Ben Roethlisberger — and the team got tremendous value in getting him at pick No. 135 (we had him ranked 63rd overall).

According to an article by SECCountry.com, McShay even admitted he thought Josh Dobbs was going early in the second round if he didn’t go in the first. In an article by Draft Wire, McShay went even further, saying he’d rather spend a second-round pick on Dobbs than use a first-rounder on Clemson’s Deshaun Watson, North Carolina’s Mitch Trubisky, Texas Tech’s Patrick Mahomes or Notre Dame’s DeShone Kizer.

Dobbs is an interesting prospect, to say the least. The former Tennessee Volunteer possesses all of the physical traits you could ask for in an NFL quarterback, as well as the football IQ. Dobbs isn’t a finished product yet, but if he shows that his motivation is truly in the game of football, I see no reason he can’t succeed in the NFL. Though Dobbs struggles with accuracy at times, he is an extremely intelligent and physically gifted football player who has a chance to prove why he should be the future in Pittsburgh.

The Steelers ended months of speculation about whether or not they would select a quarterback in the 2017 NFL Draft during day three of the pro football extravaganza when they picked Tennessee quarterback Joshua Dobbs in the fourth round.

Dobbs is an intriguing prospect. He is an incredibly intelligent student-athlete who majored in aerospace engineering. He’s a larger quarterback (6’3″ 216 lbs.) who can score in the air (27 touchdowns last season) or on the ground (12 rushing touchdowns). He also threw a dozen interceptions.

Not much will be expected of Dobbs in his rookie season, and perhaps future seasons. As the Steelers potentially head to training camp with four quality quarterbacks on their roster for the first time in years, one has to ask: who was Dobbs drafted to replace?

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Ben Roethlisberger

Everyone made a meal out of Ben Roethlisberger’s “reflection” comments following the AFC Championship game earlier this year. Those comments were interpreted by many to mean that Big Ben could retire sooner rather than later, and caused a panic which grew into a “draft a quarterback now” mentality.

However, I’m not one to believe that Roethlisberger will be going anywhere, anytime soon. He is signed through the 2019 season and having just turned 35, will only be 37 years old when he enters the final year of his contract.

That’s hardly old in quarterback terms, depending on the quarterback.

Carson Palmer turns 38 in December. Alex Smith and Aaron Rodgers, but taken a year following Ben’s draft, will be 33 this season. Eli Manning is 36, and Philip Rivers is 36 in December: both were drafted the same years as Roethlisberger.

And of course, Tom Brady is the elder statesman of the NFL quarterbacks, turning 40 in August. Drew Brees isn’t far behind, having just turned 38.

All signs point to Big Ben playing as long has he wants to. But does that mean he’ll hang it up in enough time for Dobbs to get a chance at playing?

Let’s take the contract scenario, for example. The Pittsburgh Steelers generally extend their quarterback contracts two years prior to their expiration. There was a little panic when it came to Ben’s contract last season, so there’s a chance the front office waits longer once again and extends Ben in his final year (or later perhaps). However, that is not the trend.

Should Ben receive a new deal before 2019, it means that Dobbs’ rookie contract will be up before he ever sees the field (barring any setbacks to Ben of course). Dobbs will be signed to a maximum four-year deal, which would keep him in a Steelers uniform through 2020; a year after Ben’s current contract expires.

Turning 38 for the 2020 season, it’s possible Roethlisberger could have a few more years left in the tank. All of that depends on injuries, family, and a chance to make history. If Big Ben starts winning Super Bowls, would he simply walk away? Or will he try to play a few more seasons like Brady, Brett Favre and Peyton Manning all did?

If Ben does, Dobbs would not be his successor. And the Steelers front office already knows this.

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Landry Jones

Jones is an unpopular guy in Pittsburgh, at least with the fans.

The current backup quarterback for the Steelers enters his fifth season following the expiration of his rookie contract. Like Dobbs, he too was drafted in the fourth round to add a developmental quarterback to the roster behind Big Ben.

Landry’s growth was slow, but he has proven to be a reliable backup quarterback (no matter what some of the fanbase has to say). He is literally the argument for how Dobbs’ career could end up: a third-stringer waiting for an opportunity to start in spot duty.

Due to the Steelers bringing Jones back on a new two-year deal during free agency, I don’t see them cutting ties with the former Oklahoma quarterback anytime soon. The only thing that could currently unseat Landry would be a miserable preseason and/or an injury that would cause him to miss significant time (see Bruce Gradkowski).

Otherwise, Jones is here to stay.

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Zach Mettenberger

Jones entered last year’s preseason as the number two quarterback behind Roethlisberger but was expected to compete with Gradkowski for the backup job.

Once Bruce G. landed on IR, the Steelers struggled to find someone who could even throw the football besides Jones in their remaining exhibition games. They went through quarterbacks Dustin Vaughan and Bryn Renner, neither of which were very impressive.

Then they made a bold move, claiming former Titans and Chargers quarterback Zack Mettenberger off waivers before the start of the regular season.

Critics of Landry Jones rejoiced, but Mettenberger wouldn’t throw a single pass last season. My gut tells me there’s a good reason why.

First, the Steelers wanted to give an opportunity to Jones. They wanted to make sure he was a capable backup, and he proved so against the New England Patriots and an overtime victory over the Cleveland Browns in the final week of the regular season.

Second, I doubt that Mettenberger was prepared to play yet. Offensive Coordinator Todd Haley has a complex playbook which any player missing an entire training camp would likely struggle with mastering in enough time to supplant any incumbent member of the roster.

Third, and this is just my gut feeling, I believe the coaches have seen enough of Mettenberger in practice to know what he is.

And what he is isn’t Roethlisberger’s eventual heir.

That leaves Zach at most risk of losing his roster spot at this time. There will be a camp battle between Jones, Mettenberger, and Dobbs, however, it will more than likely come down to the latter two to see who holds the clipboard this season.

This could be especially true as Mettenberger has one year left on his contract.

While it’s possible that Dobbs eventually takes Jones’ spot as well, I would expect there to be a progression based on Dobbs’ own progress. If he’s capable and shows improvement, he would first win the third-string job, then take over as the backup once Jones’ contract expires in 2018: making him Big Ben’s backup in 2019, the future Hall of Famer’s final year on his contract.

But by then, don’t be surprised if Dobbs isn’t competing with another young gun for the very same spot… and potentially leaving Pittsburgh without having fulfilled fan speculation that he could be Big Ben’s replacement.

Update 5/1 2pm EST

#Steelers cut QB Zach Mettenberger.

— Adam Caplan (@caplannfl) May 1, 2017

Well, we can stop speculating! Mettenberger has been released as of May 1st around 2pm local time.

The Pittsburgh Steelers opened day three of the 2017 NFL Draft by selecting quarterback Joshua Dobbs from the University of Tennessee.

With the 135th pick in the 2017 #NFLDraft, we select QB Joshua Dobbs. pic.twitter.com/kefGLhF63X

— Pittsburgh Steelers (@steelers) April 29, 2017

Dobbs was the 135th overall pick and may be the quarterback so many fans seemed to be asking the Steelers to get in the draft this year. Our own writer Zac Celedonia even wrote a piece on why the steelers should draft Dobb weeks ago.

Dobbs was predicted early to go higher in the draft, leaving many to wonder why he was still available in the third round; some projected him to go in the second round.  Senior Bowl executive director Phil Savage admitted that Dobbs may slide as early as last week.

Josh Dobbs he seems to be on fire right now in terms of a lot of the buzz that’s out there, but (NFL draft week) is a week of a lot of smoke because most of the teams have their boards set, and there’s a lot more time to have conversations with other clubs and members of the media. – Savage

Expectations were extremely high for Dobbs as he entered the 2016 college season at Tennessee, but many scouts and pro teams are looking at performances that stand out – SEC East titles, Heisman Trophy Awards – and that didn’t happen for the Vols or their quarterback. As an aerospace engineering major, Dobbs has plenty of intelligence on and off the football field. Last season, he recorded 2,946 yards and 27 touchdowns via the pass and added 831 yards and 12 TDs on the ground. His 12 interceptions were a concern.

Dobbs finished his Tennessee career with a 23-12 overall record, including 3-0 in bowl games. He set Tennessee records for career rushing yards by a quarterback (2,160), career rushing touchdowns by a QB (32), single-season rushing yards by a QB (831 in 2016) and single-season rushing touchdowns by a QB (12 in 2016).

And then Dobbs went to the Senior Bowl and NFL Scouting Combine. At the Combine Dobbs beat Deshaun Watson (Clemson), who was selected no. 12 overall in round one of the 2017 Draft by the Houston Texans, in some events. Dobbs was faster in the 40, had a higher vertical jump, pushed himself farther in the broad jump and tied Watson in the 20-yard shuttle.

Besides first round selection TJ Watt, Dobbs may be the most athletic player selected in the Steelers draft.

Dobbs is more than just an athlete though.

“He continues to impress me,” ESPN analyst Louis Riddick, a former NFL pro scout and director of pro personnel for the Washington Redskins and Philadelphia Eagles, said of Dobbs on Combine Saturday.

He looked very comfortable, looked a little bit robotic in some of his drops, but his accuracy, again, was good, and he didn’t flinch at all in this, which I think continues to bode well for his prospects once he continues to get the kind of NFL environment coaching he’s going to get. – Riddick

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Athlon’s 2016 SEC Offensive Player of the Year will now join Ben Roethlisberger, Landry Jones and Zach Mettenberger on the Pittsburgh Steelers’ roster. As one of just three SEC quarterbacks to ever record 15 passing touchdowns and ten rushing touchdowns in multiple seasons, Dobbs will get an opportunity to show how quickly he can pick up Todd Haley’s offensive playbook and give the backup position a real run for its money behind Roethlisberger for the 2017 season.

Welcome to Pittsburgh Josh!

Press conference on 4th-Rd pick, QB Joshua Dobbs. Watch more on @nflnetwork https://t.co/TexgcKpw4d

— Pittsburgh Steelers (@steelers) April 29, 2017

Steel City Underground presents “Plays of the Year” featuring the tops runs, catches, hits and everything else in-between from the Pittsburgh Steelers 2018 season.

Two different players in two different situations, each playing their hearts out for a roster spot: a situation which could once again play-out this preseason!

As we enter this week with the Steelers first exhibition game on deck, let’s have a look at two players who were fighting for their respective NFL careers in 2018: Pittsburgh Steelers QB Joshua Dobbs and WR Damoun Patterson.

With the addition of another quarterback in last year’s draft, Dobbs found himself in a three-way competition for what ended up as only two roster spots at his position.

Patterson’s plight was slightly different as the FCS college player not only went undrafted but went completely unsigned until he impressed Steelers brass during his invite to this year’s rookie minicamp.

Each made the most of their reps in training camp and that experience showed on a Thursday night during the Steelers’ first preseason game against the Eagles.

With just under two minutes left in the first half, Pittsburgh was in their two-minute drill, designed to conserve as much clock as possible in order to put some points on the scoreboard. Dobbs would generate a 9-play, 75-yard drive which would finish with this bullet pass from the second-year quarterback to his rookie teammate.

Watch Patterson’s body control on the catch, but stay for his touchdown celebration!

As we would later find out, Dobbs did more than plenty to secure his spot as Ben Roethlisberger‘s backup for the 2018 season. The best NFL betting lines may not have the Steelers as early favorites, but rest assured that Dobbs is betting on himself again in 2019 to win the backup role.

Patterson, however, would be waived with an injury settlement and end up on other rosters throughout the year, making stops in Tampa Bay and New England (where he is currently rostered for the 2019 start of training camp).

Steel City Underground presents “Plays of the Year” featuring the tops runs, catches, hits and everything else in-between from the Pittsburgh Steelers 2018 season.

How soon we forget?

Heading into the final 2018 preseason game, Joshua Dobbs was in danger of no longer being with the Pittsburgh Steelers.

A second-year player who spent his rookie season as the team’s third quarterback on the depth chart, Dobbs was embroiled in a fierce training camp competition which included veteran backup Landry Jones and newly acquired third-round pick Mason Rudolph: who many had pegged as a first round grade in the draft and were already hinting to as the future after Ben Roethlisberger’s career ends.

Dobbs would need an impressive performance in the final exhibition game to make the Steelers consider keeping him: either as the fourth quarterback on the depth chart or in favor of one of the other two backups.

With a laundry list of sustained scoring drives under his belt throughout the preseason, Dobbs would punch his ticket to a spot on the 53-man roster, supplanting Jones as Big Ben’s backup.

On a cool Thursday evening at Heinz Field, the Steelers final preseason game would see them start with the ball as the second-year signal caller would get a chance to show what he was made of.

Dobbs would march the offense 79 yards, capping off the series with this touchdown run, as he avoids several defenders and soars in the air for a touchdown.

Could’ve. Would’ve. Should’ve. These words define those who fall short of their goals. Such is the case of this series, which will examine the ebbs and flows of the Pittsburgh Steelers 2018 season and how specific individual plays may have shaped the year.

When the Pittsburgh Steelers traveled to Baltimore to face their rivals in the Ravens in Week 9, they were focused on grabbing control of an AFC North division that was in flux. In what had been a relatively lackluster game, as the fourth quarter got underway, the Steelers defense had done their job and forced the Ravens to punt. Once the ball was placed at the Pittsburgh 15-yard line, things became a bit bizarre and the mantra of ‘next man up’ actually helped the Steelers get the boost they needed to finish the game with a victory.

Ben Roethlisberger had his back to the end zone and the Ravens were looking for a potential safety. As soon as the ball was snapped, Roethlisberger was forced to get out of the pocket almost immediately and run to the sideline and the first-down marker. Unfortunately, Za’Darius Smith was in hot pursuit and drove Big Ben into the turf onto his throwing shoulder.

Things looked bad with Roethlisberger in obvious pain, forcing an injury timeout to be called. As the training staff got the quarterback to his feet, second-year backup Joshua Dobbs trotted onto the field. Instead of going conservative from their own five-yard line due to a holding penalty called on Alejandro Villanueva on the Roethlisberger scramble, Dobbs ignored second-and-20 and threw a smoking hot dark over the middle of the field to a wide open JuJu Smith-Schuster for 22 yards and a critical first down.

Dobbs’ hookup with Smith-Schuster allowed Roethlisberger time to get the air back in his lungs and as he returned on the very next play, Big Ben was able to find tight end Jesse James open on a double move against Brandon Carr for a 55-yard gain and James’ career-longest catch-and-run. It became the longest play from scrimmage the Ravens, as the top NFL defense heading into the week, had allowed to that point in the season.

Dobbs gave the Steelers the boost they needed in what had been a game without much to put in a highlight reel. The Steelers defense dialed up the pressure with Bud Dupree and Vince Williams combining for a swarm sack. When Stephon Tuitt then dumped Joe Flacco into the turf, it ended Baltimore’s opportunities late in the game to attempt final-second heroics.