On Thursday, January 21st, the Steelers signed young quarterback Dwayne Haskins to the team. What does this mean for Pittsburgh?
With the addition of Dwayne Haskins to the Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback unit, that makes four QBs that have gained some sort of attention in the league and media that the Steel City has in its possession. While this move may seem rather minuscule by face value, Pittsburgh fans have given mixed reactions to it. Some have welcomed him aboard effortlessly, recognizing his potential down the line when surrounded by an outstanding array of offensive weapons and an esteemed sideline. Meanwhile, some others have shown skepticism, considering his past drama and undesirable performances in the short span of time that he has spent in the NFL so far.
Regardless of how one feels on the matter, the signing has undoubtedly left everyone curious as to what this means for the Steelers moving forward. Well, such a move would obviously give off implications about what could happen next for the quarterback situation in particular. Depending on the ways that you choose to observe the decision, you can see it meaning something regarding the futures of Ben Roethlisberger, Mason Rudolph, and even Josh Dobbs. With that said, here are three things that we have learned from the Steelers’ signing of Dwayne Haskins.
Ben Roethlisberger’s days are certainly numbered
After the vibes following the Wild Card heartbreak, this was already a widely accepted theory. We thought that Big Ben could/should/would retire, but then there were statements from head coach Mike Tomlin and Roethlisberger himself that pointed towards him at least coming back to wrap up the last year of his current contract. However, some had thought (and perhaps hoped) that this upcoming season could maybe resuscitate Ben’s drive and possibly end up with him playing even longer. However, the organization signing a third quarterback really kills the chances of that for me.
This gives off the impression that a “combine” will take place, if you will, between Haskins, Rudolph, and Dobbs to see who will be the frontrunner to succeed Roethlisberger. I see it as a method to play the odds of remaining a competitor after Ben’s departure, due to this adding not just any other quarterback to the roster, but a young and more athletic one.
As I previously stated, this is no shocking revelation. Steelers fans knew that Ben most likely had only one more season in him. All this move did was make a huge stride in the direction of that thought becoming a reality.
Pittsburgh lacks faith in Mason Rudolph
For some time now, Mason Rudolph has been the expected go-to guy for the Steelers following the eventual end of Ben Roethlisberger’s reign. In my experience, many Pittsburgh fans have seemed content with this verdict. However, the signing of Dwayne Haskins this close to the predicted retirement of Big Ben tells a different story on behalf of the organization.
In my opinion, this says that not only does the franchise and its management have little faith in Rudolph’s ability to lead this team forward, but that it never had much in the first place. With that in mind, I would not blame Mason if he secretly looked for another roster to land on in his free time.
It is easily believable that Haskins could win the starting job over Rudolph. Neither of them have looked great in their performances, but Rudolph has struggled with a much better team than Dwayne has, and the latter’s ability with the Pittsburgh roster has not even been seen before. So who is anyone to say that Haskins will suck in the Steel City? They are not home to a snake-bitten team like Washington D.C. is. Not to mention that I would go as far as to say that Haskins has an athleticism advantage on Mason as well.
So to put it bluntly, if Dwayne has a halfway decent showcasing in practice and/or in the preseason slate (which he probably has a good chance of doing), then it is worth betting that he could swipe the to-be starting job from Rudolph before the 2021-22 NFL season officially begins. Considering that Mason has been in Pittsburgh his entire career so far, waiting for a chance to start on a consistent basis, a new guy coming in and taking over last-minute would constitute an attempt to look for hire elsewhere, and understandably so.
Josh Dobbs’ time with the Steelers is likely coming to an end
Let’s just be honest about it: Pittsburgh has already tried to get rid of Dobbs before. Now you mean to tell me that, after signing a third QB who will end up above him on the depth chart, his job is safe on the Steelers roster? No way.
Josh has gotten very little starting time during his tenure with Pittsburgh thus far, so he should have already been heading for the door in hopes of being scooped up by another squad. But after this signing, it has been taken to a whole new level of disrespect. Making him a 4th-string quarterback seemingly out of nowhere should just be interpreted as a slap to the face at this point.
I am going to assume that Dobbs will either be released in due time, or he will be traded as a part of some most likely forgettable deal. That is not intended to be an insult towards Josh. I am merely acknowledging that if he was not already having years of his career wasted, then his time will certainly be soiled between now and if he ever ends up somewhere else. So in other words, whether it is by the hands of the Steelers management or of his own volition, Josh Dobbs is almost guaranteed to be erased from the Pittsburgh quarterback unit in the near future.
This Haskins choice has just thrown the solidity of the Steelers’ quarterback situation into an absolute frenzy. How much longer until Ben retires? Will Mason Rudolph take his place as a starter? Will Josh Dobbs move or be moved in response to the signing? Not to mention that this probably sends the chances of a trade being pitched for Deshaun Watson out the window. But if I have learned anything as a Steelers fan, it is to trust the process, as it typically pays off. So at the end of the day, I have no good reason to expect anything different from this decision.