I wouldn’t necessarily recommend the Steelers draft a quarterback.
I wouldn’t laugh at the notion, either.
There is nothing funny about the Steelers’ quarterbacking situation. They have a 38-year-old coming off major elbow surgery and Mason Rudolph as viable options for the present and near future. Which is why multiple national observers pegged them to address the position with their first or second pick.
What is so ridiculous about that?
Sports Illustrated and ESPN’s Todd McShay have the Steelers taking Washington quarterback Jacob Eason with their first selection (49th overall). Pro Football Focus has them taking Georgia quarterback Jake Fromm with their second selection (102nd).
Those picks predictably prompted mockery in these parts. But then, if you’d mentioned a month ago the Steelers would sign Eric Ebron, you would have been mocked for that, too. Who thought they had $12 million to spend on a tight end? Who predicted they’d spend nearly $10 million on a special teams guy/fullback (Derek Watt) and bring in a guard who started in two of the past three Super Bowls?
And what if I told you on Sept. 1 of last season that the Steelers would trade a first-round pick for the first time in half a century to acquire a safety? Think that would have been met with universal approval? Think anyone would have believed it, even?
Point being, people can shoot down the quarterback idea all they want. That doesn’t mean it’s crazy. Doesn’t mean it’s an impossibility, either.
Am I predicting it? No. I’m guessing the Steelers address other needs, of which there are many. But we’re talking about the most important position on the field, and if the Steelers deem one of the aforementioned quarterbacks a potential upgrade, and maybe a large one, on Rudolph as Roethlisberger’s heir apparent, they might be well-served to pull the trigger.
Art Rooney II, Kevin Colbert and Mike Tomlin have two jobs here:
— Try to win now within the Roethlisberger window, which hopefully remains open for a few years. Did I mention he’s 38 and coming off major elbow surgery?
— Maximize their chance to capitalize on what should be an outstanding defense over the next several years.
This is a defense centered around massive young talents such as T.J. Watt (25), Minkah Fitzpatrick (23) and Devin Bush (21). The last thing you’d want is to leave a unit like that without a quality quarterback to complement it.
That is where the Rudolph conundrum comes in.
Assuming all goes well with Roethlisberger — and that is a large assumption — is Rudolph going to be the guy in two or three years? What do the Steelers really think of him?
I keep hearing they are “comfortable” with Rudolph. But I keep remembering that with their season on the line against the New York Jets last season, they ignored him and went with the guy who’d just thrown four interceptions against the Buffalo Bills.
Rudolph bounced back when he was thrust into the Jets game, proving at least that the Cleveland debacle didn’t ruin him. But that’s a fairly low bar, and I’m not sure a few good series against a bad team proved anything beyond that.
I’m not saying Rudolph won’t be a decent quarterback. He had some good moments last season. He may yet develop into a viable starter. I just don’t think many people watched him last year and thought, “There’s a future Pro Bowler,” or even, “There’s your future starter.”
Is he even the backup for this season? There is yet time for the Steelers to bring in a veteran to compete with Rudolph for that position. There is opportunity later this month to draft someone to compete with him now and over the next few years.
It’s only the most important position on the field.
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