As the Steelers build the 2019 team, there were no surprises at the quarterback and running back positions.
The Steelers had finalized both their 53-man roster and their practice squad or ‘taxi squad’ as it was commonly referred to back in the 1970s when I started following the game of football. What follows is an analysis of the Steelers roster moves and practice squad signings.
Let’s start by exploring the offense that will comprise the 2019 Steelers. No surprises at the QB position; it is the same group that threw the football last season. Although, as it has been widely reported, Mason Rudolph has seemingly won the backup QB spot over Josh Dobbs. To me, Rudolph just outplayed Dobbs in the preseason.
Rudolph was undeterred from throwing the ball down the field, ‘taking a shot,’ so to speak. Dobbs just seemed more comfortable with taking what the defense was giving versus being aggressive to get the vertical passing game in gear. These are my superficial observations as a Steelers fan.
As with the QB position, no surprises at the RB position, with James Conner, Jaylen Samuels and this year’s fourth-round pick, Benny Snell, Jr. Honestly, Snell did not show me much during the preseason, but the reality is a fourth-round pick makes the team, almost by default.
I guess running behind the backup offensive linemen is not a good indication of how Snell might perform if pressed into duty. Let’s face it; the starting offensive line is one of the best in the business; the backup offensive linemen are backups for a reason.
Let’s continue this discussion by looking at the receivers and tight ends.