Why the Steelers should draft a quarterback in 2021

Quarterback #4

If the Steelers can not draft Trey lance, which may be a given, they might have a shot at drafting Desmond Ridder quarterback Cincinnati. Next to Trey Lance, he could be the most mobile quarterback in the draft. He could bring to Pittsburgh what Lamar Jackson brings to Baltimore. He can throw; however, he can burn you if he has to scramble. While unlikely to go in the first round, he is likely to go in the 2nd or 3rd round.

He is 6’4’ and 215 pounds. In three seasons, he has 6430 passing yards on 851 attempts. More yardage than Trask, but way more attempts as well. Still, he is throwing 207.41 yards a game. He also has 54 touchdowns. His rushing stats are what makes Ridder intriguing, though. Over his career, he has 1759 yards on 360 attempts. However, in 2020 he has 526 yards on just 67 attempts. He has put up almost as much yardage as he did in 2019 while having less than half the rushing attempts. He also has 21 rushing touchdowns on top of his passing touchdowns. Certainly, the thoughts of him playing for the Steelers has a certain appeal.

His benefit is his athleticism and being a dual-threat. While he has a good arm, he can run as well. Any offensive coordinator would have a lot to work with when designing plays. He has a knack for threading the ball like a needle and can get it into tight windows with laser-like precision.

Ridder’s downside is his accuracy. In three years at Cincinnati, he only has a 60.6 percent rate. One reason teams might pass on him until day two of the draft.  Despite his running ability, another knock is he feels the defensive pressure too late and takes unnecessary hits while trying to find an open receiver. Despite his weaknesses, if he gets placed on the right NFL team that would allow him to flourish eventually.

Imagine what a player like Ridder could learn from Ben Roethlisberger. The Steelers could be a good fit, and he could thrive in Pittsburgh. He could potentially lead the Steelers for several seasons. Of course, in his case, it would mean riding the bench for two seasons or so. The rewards could be worth taking a shot on Ridder. He would be exciting to watch, at least.