Devlin Hodges should not return to the Steelers in 2020

The Steelers gave Devlin Hodges a hard look in 2019. Here’s why the experiment with the undrafted quarterback should be over.

Steelers fans everywhere were hoping for a Cinderella story in 2019 – the type that only happens once in a generation. Quarterback Josh Dobbs was traded back in Week 2 just before we discovered Ben Roethlisberger would miss the entire season with an elbow injury that required surgery.

After Mason Rudolph was knocked out cold against the Ravens in Week 5, it was the fourth man up who was forced to step in and save the day. Devlin Hodges won his very first start on the west coast against the Los Angeles Chargers the following week, but Rudolph resumed his role after the bye week.

As Rudolph struggled in the second half of the season, Hodges stepped back into action in Week 12 against the Bengals and led his team to victory. He would go on to start every game remaining in 2019.

Hodges was the fourth quarterback on the roster all offseason and he began the year on the Steelers practice squad. With his underdog status that also includes less than ideal size and tools to go with an undrafted label, many were hoping that Hodges would be the savior of the Steelers season and possibly even the heir apparent to Roethlisberger.

However, we soon discovered the real Duck Hodges. While he began his career on a positive note, Hodges’ true colors showed the more he continued to play. His below-average accuracy was accompanied by pedestrian arm strength that proved incapable of getting the job done. However, his poor decision making may have been his worst trait of all. Hodges threw 8 interceptions in just 5 starts this season.

The Steelers are desperately searching for answers at the quarterback position. While Big Ben is on track to return in 2020, the veteran quarterback will be 38 years old this March and it is unclear how the extended time off or the elbow surgery will affect him.

Even if Roethlisberger returns to pre-injury form, the clock is ticking on his NFL career, and the Steelers need to find his predecessor. While Rudolph admittedly doesn’t possess all the tools I would like in an NFL quarterback, he proved to have more than Hodges.

I have seen enough of Hodges at this point to know how his lack of traits will affect him throughout his career, and Pittsburgh should seriously consider bringing in or drafting another quarterback to start grooming for the future.

Hodges’ success with the Steelers was fun while it lasted but Pittsburgh had by far the worst quarterback play in the league this year. They showed that even with one of the league’s best defenses, it’s hard to win without a skilled quarterback leading the charge.

Duck is a likable character who is easy to root for, but he is a player who should be demoted to the practice squad if and when something better comes along for the Steelers. It’s about winning football games, and Hodges just doesn’t have what it takes to be a long-term answer at quarterback.