5 players who should not make Steelers roster, but will

QB Devlin Hodges

If you are a fan of keeping Devlin Hodges around on the roster in 2020, I’ve earned the right to ask you why. We’ve seen the undrafted rookie step in and play 8 games last year (6 starts), but what does he have to show for it?

I’ll admit, the story was captivating. After Mason Rudolph was knocked out and the Steelers were down to their third-string quarterback that nobody ever heard of, Hodges came in and beat the Chargers in Los Angeles in his first start. But he did very little to warrant a roster spot beyond that point.

Even if Hodges improves in year two, what does he offer that is special or that can’t be found in the free-agent market? He’s got a below-average arm with poor velocity and spotty accuracy down the field. As a scout team quarterback, Hodges will be responsible for getting the Steelers defense ready to play. But Pittsburgh won’t face a QB with as little arm talent as Hodges all season.

Hodges could very well prove to be a better player than Paxton Lynch, but why waste a roster spot on a QB3 at all? If Ben were to get hurt, Pittsburgh already declared that Mason Rudolph is the backup. They can sign Hodges back at that point.