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Steelers Free Agency: Quarterbacks

By Kim Myers

Aug 28, 2014; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers quarterbacks Ben Roethlisberger (7) and Bruce Gradkowski (5) talk on the sidelines against the Carolina Panthers during the fourth quarter at Heinz Field. The Panthers shutout the Steelers 10-0. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
Aug 28, 2014; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers quarterbacks Ben Roethlisberger (7) and Bruce Gradkowski (5) talk on the sidelines against the Carolina Panthers during the fourth quarter at Heinz Field. The Panthers shutout the Steelers 10-0. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Steelers have twenty players whose contracts will expire at the start of the new league year on Wednesday, March 9th.

Jan 9, 2016; Cincinnati, OH, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger (7) is carted off the field after being injured during the third quarter against the Cincinnati Bengals in the AFC Wild Card playoff football game at Paul Brown Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 9, 2016; Cincinnati, OH, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger (7) is carted off the field after being injured during the third quarter against the Cincinnati Bengals in the AFC Wild Card playoff football game at Paul Brown Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports /

The first position of free agents is quite a pivotal one. While there’s no denying that the Steelers are quite set at the starting quarterback position with Ben Roethlisberger having career-year after career-year, there are options and decisions to be made at the backup position.

Few fan-bases care as much about the backup quarterback position as the Steelers fans do, I’ve come to realize. Now that we’ve finally seen what Landry Jones looks like in the regular season the Steelers have to determine their comfort level with making him Ben’s backup and exploring options for the third string.

The Steelers had to expand their backup quarterback corps this season after Bruce Gradkowski was placed on injured reserve in late August with a right shoulder injury. Michael Vick was signed shortly thereafter, showing the trust at the time the Steelers had in Landry Jones, as well as the state of backup quarterbacks available in the league.

Some things you just can’t plan for so while the Steelers do have some decisions to make here, there’s no reason to spend more time than necessary this offseason shoring up the needs. There are far greater areas of need to be addressed than who is going to be third on the quarterback depth chart.

Next: Bruce Gradkowski

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