Report: Leftwich the favorite to QB Steelers

[fordfixer]

May 14, 2010 - 4:15 PM ET
Report: Leftwich the favorite to QB Steelers
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ESPN's Adam Schefter reports that Byron Leftwich is currently the favorite to begin the season as the Steelers' starting quarterback.

Schefter calls it "Leftwich's job to lose," though he may be simply reading the tea leaves after Big Byron ran with the first-team offense at the team's most recent minicamp. The situation should be completely avoided in fantasy leagues, as packages of Dennis Dixon figure to be incorporated. The more talented Dixon could also overtake Leftwich outright in camp. Look for Pittsburgh to open the year with lots of Rashard Mendenhall.

[hawaiiansteel]

Re: Report: Leftwich the favorite to QB Steelers

Steelers' QB will be determined by start of training camp

NFL.com
5-14-2010


Pittsburgh Steelers coach Mike Tomlin says he'll decide on his starting quarterback by the time training camp opens in July.

Tomlin told the team's official Web site Wednesday that he doesn't envision having a typical competition between Byron Leftwich, Charlie Batch and Dennis Dixon to determine who'll be behind center while Ben Roethlisberger serves a six-game suspension to open the regular season. However, Tomlin said he'll "certainly" know the pecking order entering camp.

"Really, it's not a three-man quarterback competition at this point," Tomlin said. "We know what all three men are capable of doing. All three men, at different points in time, have benefited us and helped us win football games or played winning football. We know what we're working with. We're going to spend the rest of this offseason teaching, re-acclimating in some cases -– as with Byron Leftwich -– and then we're going to make decisions and move forward."

Tomlin added that "in all likelihood" he won't announce his decision at the start of camp, but he'll make it by then.

Although Roethlisberger's suspension for violating the NFL's personal-conduct policy can be reduced to four games, the Steelers brought back Leftwich in a trade with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for depth. Leftwich, who was Roethlisberger's backup in 2008, has made 49 starts in seven NFL seasons.

Batch has the most starts out of the three quarterbacks with 50, but just four have come in the last eight seasons. Dixon, who's entering his third NFL season, made his first career start last year.

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[Steel Life]

Re: Report: Leftwich the favorite to QB Steelers

I think it's Dixon with Leftwich backing up...Leftwich gets more ink because he's a known commodity.

[frankthetank1]

Re: Report: Leftwich the favorite to QB Steelers

I think it's Dixon with Leftwich backing up...Leftwich gets more ink because he's a known commodity.

i hope dixon wins the job. we all know what we have in leftwich, i want to see more of dixon. i understand why tomlin wants to establish a starter sooner rather than later but im not so sure if leftwich is a whole lot better than dixon at this point in his career. it will be interesting.

[Sugar]

Re: Report: Leftwich the favorite to QB Steelers

I think it's Dixon with Leftwich backing up...Leftwich gets more ink because he's a known commodity.

i hope dixon wins the job. we all know what we have in leftwich, i want to see more of dixon. i understand why tomlin wants to establish a starter sooner rather than later but im not so sure if leftwich is a whole lot better than dixon at this point in his career. it will be interesting.

Besides, we do know that Dixon is quicker and more evasive which could end up being really important.

[TallyStiller]

Re: Report: Leftwich the favorite to QB Steelers

If the O Line isn't significantly better than last year, they may both end up playing anyway.

[proudpittsburgher]

Re: Report: Leftwich the favorite to QB Steelers

I think it's Dixon with Leftwich backing up...Leftwich gets more ink because he's a known commodity.

i hope dixon wins the job. we all know what we have in leftwich, i want to see more of dixon. i understand why tomlin wants to establish a starter sooner rather than later but im not so sure if leftwich is a whole lot better than dixon at this point in his career. it will be interesting.

I understand why you want to see more of Dixon, but these four games or even six are too important to waste on just "getting to see him more". That's what the preseason is all about. Right now, If I had to make the choice, it's lefty. Doesn't anyone wonder why a guy as athletic as Dixon doesn't get to see the field under any cirsumstances other than an emergency start last season. Especially in the day and age of the wildcat offense. Hopefully I am wrong, but I just don't see what everyone else does in Dixon. I was very excited when we drafted him, but my excitement has waned since then.

[frankthetank1]

Re: Report: Leftwich the favorite to QB Steelers

I think it's Dixon with Leftwich backing up...Leftwich gets more ink because he's a known commodity.

i hope dixon wins the job. we all know what we have in leftwich, i want to see more of dixon. i understand why tomlin wants to establish a starter sooner rather than later but im not so sure if leftwich is a whole lot better than dixon at this point in his career. it will be interesting.

I understand why you want to see more of Dixon, but these four games or even six are too important to waste on just "getting to see him more". That's what the preseason is all about. Right now, If I had to make the choice, it's lefty. Doesn't anyone wonder why a guy as athletic as Dixon doesn't get to see the field under any cirsumstances other than an emergency start last season. Especially in the day and age of the wildcat offense. Hopefully I am wrong, but I just don't see what everyone else does in Dixon. I was very excited when we drafted him, but my excitement has waned since then.

your excitement has waned? that is funny because i am the exact opposite. while i saw the value in the late pick i wasnt excited when we drafted dixon mostly due to him blowing out his knee in college. i didnt realize what a strong arm dixon has though!! i think his arm is just as strong as lefty's and he is more mobile. also if ben eff's up again we need to know what we have currently at qb for the future.

[Oviedo]

Re: Report: Leftwich the favorite to QB Steelers

I think it's Dixon with Leftwich backing up...Leftwich gets more ink because he's a known commodity.

i hope dixon wins the job. we all know what we have in leftwich, i want to see more of dixon. i understand why tomlin wants to establish a starter sooner rather than later but im not so sure if leftwich is a whole lot better than dixon at this point in his career. it will be interesting.

I understand why you want to see more of Dixon, but these four games or even six are too important to waste on just "getting to see him more". That's what the preseason is all about. Right now, If I had to make the choice, it's lefty. Doesn't anyone wonder why a guy as athletic as Dixon doesn't get to see the field under any cirsumstances other than an emergency start last season. Especially in the day and age of the wildcat offense. Hopefully I am wrong, but I just don't see what everyone else does in Dixon. I was very excited when we drafted him, but my excitement has waned since then.

your excitement has waned? that is funny because i am the exact opposite. while i saw the value in the late pick i wasnt excited when we drafted dixon mostly due to him blowing out his knee in college. i didnt realize what a strong arm dixon has though!! i think his arm is just as strong as lefty's and he is more mobile. also if ben eff's up again we need to know what we have currently at qb for the future.

Dixon is also very physically slight at about 210lbs. I'm not sure he is built for the pounding a QB takes on a every game basis.

[frankthetank1]

Re: Report: Leftwich the favorite to QB Steelers

I think it's Dixon with Leftwich backing up...Leftwich gets more ink because he's a known commodity.

i hope dixon wins the job. we all know what we have in leftwich, i want to see more of dixon. i understand why tomlin wants to establish a starter sooner rather than later but im not so sure if leftwich is a whole lot better than dixon at this point in his career. it will be interesting.

I understand why you want to see more of Dixon, but these four games or even six are too important to waste on just "getting to see him more". That's what the preseason is all about. Right now, If I had to make the choice, it's lefty. Doesn't anyone wonder why a guy as athletic as Dixon doesn't get to see the field under any cirsumstances other than an emergency start last season. Especially in the day and age of the wildcat offense. Hopefully I am wrong, but I just don't see what everyone else does in Dixon. I was very excited when we drafted him, but my excitement has waned since then.

your excitement has waned? that is funny because i am the exact opposite. while i saw the value in the late pick i wasnt excited when we drafted dixon mostly due to him blowing out his knee in college. i didnt realize what a strong arm dixon has though!! i think his arm is just as strong as lefty's and he is more mobile. also if ben eff's up again we need to know what we have currently at qb for the future.

Dixon is also very physically slight at about 210lbs. I'm not sure he is built for the pounding a QB takes on a every game basis.

dixon probably should put on 10 lbs or so but 210 lbs isnt too bad. he isnt much smaller than kordell stewart was. you are right though im not sure if he could make it through a 16 game season if he had too.

[proudpittsburgher]

Re: Report: Leftwich the favorite to QB Steelers

I think it's Dixon with Leftwich backing up...Leftwich gets more ink because he's a known commodity.

i hope dixon wins the job. we all know what we have in leftwich, i want to see more of dixon. i understand why tomlin wants to establish a starter sooner rather than later but im not so sure if leftwich is a whole lot better than dixon at this point in his career. it will be interesting.

I understand why you want to see more of Dixon, but these four games or even six are too important to waste on just "getting to see him more". That's what the preseason is all about. Right now, If I had to make the choice, it's lefty. Doesn't anyone wonder why a guy as athletic as Dixon doesn't get to see the field under any cirsumstances other than an emergency start last season. Especially in the day and age of the wildcat offense. Hopefully I am wrong, but I just don't see what everyone else does in Dixon. I was very excited when we drafted him, but my excitement has waned since then.

your excitement has waned? that is funny because i am the exact opposite. while i saw the value in the late pick i wasnt excited when we drafted dixon mostly due to him blowing out his knee in college. i didnt realize what a strong arm dixon has though!! i think his arm is just as strong as lefty's and he is more mobile. also if ben eff's up again we need to know what we have currently at qb for the future.

I think I chose the phrase "excitement has waned" becauase I truly believe the fact he isn't on the field much has something to do with his developement. I hope I am wrong, because he was damned exciting to watch at Oregon.