How did we get here again? Our QB Situation

[Lonbull]

This particular post is more about "seeing it on paper" -- I keep hearing "Experts" say the Steelers did nothing to prepare for Ben's departure and I completely disagree -- however I wanted to take a look at each season and draft to get a real feel for what the possibilities really were.

Also provided that Aaron Rodgers doesn't change his mind - I have to ask myself - how did we get here again? And is Aaron Rodgers production possibility better than what could have been?

Aaron Rodgers
(2022) 3695 Yards / 26 TD's
(2023) Injury season
(2024) 3897 yards / 28 TD's

Steelers QB's:

Lets begin in 2018: 36 year old Ben Roethlisberger has an outstanding season 5100 yards passing / 36 TD's
Back-ups; Joshua Dobbs / Mason Rudolph.

Side note *** Am I the only one who doesn't understand why Dobbs hasn't done enough to be given a fair chance in the NFL?? At this point I would much rather have Dobbs than Rudolph.

2019 - The Injury season - 37 Year Old Ben has a significant injury
Back-ups: Mason Rudolph / Paxon Lynch / Delvin "Duck" Hodges

Moving into the 2020 Draft -- it should have been clear that we need to begin thinking of a replacement for Ben -- however one issue is that we've traded our 1st round pick this season for Minkah Fitzpatrick.

2020 Draft -- We draft Chase Claypool over Jalen Hurts in the 2nd round of 2020. Maybe the Steelers thought they had a lot more time with Ben, and I can certainly understand that --- I'm also not sure anyone thought Hurts was a guarantee to succeed in the NFL.

Would we be better with Jalen Hurts??
Hurts best passing season was for 3858 - Passing TD's 23 -- in that same year he had 15 TD's -- and he's definitely more mobile and certainly younger -- but from a "Non-Tush Push" perspective --- the Steelers would likely be seeing the same production as they may expect from Rodgers this season - that was a surprise to me.

2020 Draft - 13 QB's drafted - Still starting: Burrow, Tua, Herbert, Love, Hurts

2020 QB's: Ben Roethlisberger / Josh Dobbs / Mason Rudolph --- Ben throws for 3800 and 33 TD's.

2021 Draft: Outside of the #1 Overall pick - this draft is UGLY when it comes to QB's - nothing missed here!

10 QB's Drafted - 2 are starting - Trevor Lawrence and Justin Fields.

However we do pick up Dwayne Haskins this year for practically nothing / and Justin Fields (#11 overall) will also be given a shot a few years down the road.

2021 QB's Ben Roethlisberger / Mason Rudolph / Dwayne Haskins -- Ben throws for 3700 and 22 TD's and Ben's final season.

Dwayne Haskins passes away shortly before the draft - I contend if Haskins had been alive we wouldn't have drafted Pickett.

2022 Draft: Kenny Pickett - first QB off of the board.

Maybe you get better production out of Sam Howell or Brock Purdy??
9 QB's drafted - Only Brock Purdy is a legit starter at this point.

2022 QB's: Kenny Pickett / Mason Rudolph / Mitch Trubisky -- Pickett and Trubisky combined = 3600 yards / 11 TD's.

2023 Draft: I believe the Steelers think they can surround Pickett with talent and make things happen - I really liked this draft - at least 4 Starters / Contributors in this draft.

14 QB's drafted - Young, Stroud and Richardson are the only Starters out of this bunch and really - maybe only Stroud - these three guys were taken 1st / 2nd and 4th in the draft - not much the Steelers could do here.

2023 QB's: Kenny Pickett / Mason Rudolph / Mitch Trubisky - In 12 Games Pickett had 2000 yards / 6 TD's

So yeah - I guess I would rather have Rodgers at this point than these three.

2024 Draft:

11 QB's taken - too early to tell - but Williams / Daniels / Maye / Penix / Nix and McCarthy will be expected to start.
Steelers had signed Fields and Wilson in March -- and were not looking at QB in this draft.

2024 QB''s Wilson / Fields / Allen - Wilson and Fields combine for 3588 yards passing / 21 Passing TD's

While I preferred Wilson or Fields -- from a statistical standpoint - Rodgers outproduced both of them last season.

I'll be the first one to write that I'm not a fan of what Aaron Rodgers brings to the Steelers as a "mentality" -- and I think he has the potential to do so much more harm than good to the Steelers organization -- however "statistically" speaking his recent play is equal or better than what we've had since Ben

Short story long - outside of Jalen Hurts and *maybe Brock Purdy - I believe the Steelers have done as good a job as has been possible since Ben Roethlisbergers last season.

L.B.

[WindyCitySteel]

This reminds me of 2019. Instead of seeing what Mason has, they panic to preserve the non-losing season streak. If they don’t make a deep playoff run, this is yet another mistake.

[Lonbull]

This reminds me of 2019. Instead of seeing what Mason has, they panic to preserve the non-losing season streak. If they don’t make a deep playoff run, this is yet another mistake.

I don't agree that it was a "panic" move -

The Steelers (like most teams) weren't going to be very successful without their Franchise QB.

Mason had ample time to prove what he could do - the Steelers went 4-3 with Mason before the Miles Garret 4 INT - Helmet assault game.

It's not like Mason Rudolph went on to show that he was anything more than a Back-up capable of keeping you in games.

Technically a better Quarterback than Hodges - but most fans care about Wins - and while Hodges was difficult to watch he was putting up a few W's - which for a third string guy is impressive.

L.B.

[Chucktownsteeler]

Misses - Terrell Edmunds over Lamar Jackson

Chase Claypool over Jalen Hurts

[whatever]

hindsight is 20/20
im sure all the bust qbs that were drafted, the steelers also would have taken them given the opportunity.
and the ‘fans’ would have applauded the pick.
you probably could factor in the qbs that were traded for or could have signed in FA too during that time.

[whatever]

you also need to factor in those qbs that didn’t pan out also didn’t have tomlin as a HC and the almighty steelers organization and coaching staff to develop them.

[WindyCitySteel]

I don't agree that it was a "panic" move -

The Steelers (like most teams) weren't going to be very successful without their Franchise QB.

Mason had ample time to prove what he could do - the Steelers went 4-3 with Mason before the Miles Garret 4 INT - Helmet assault game.

It's not like Mason Rudolph went on to show that he was anything more than a Back-up capable of keeping you in games.

Technically a better Quarterback than Hodges - but most fans care about Wins - and while Hodges was difficult to watch he was putting up a few W's - which for a third string guy is impressive.

L.B.

It’s a panic move to barely move the needle. They’re not going into a playoff game vs. Jackson, Burrow, Allen, or Mahomes and beating them with a 41-year old who checks down too much.

[NorthCoast]

It’s a panic move to barely move the needle. They’re not going into a playoff game vs. Jackson, Burrow, Allen, or Mahomes and beating them with a 41-year old who checks down too much.

Disagree on a panic move. They clearly felt Rodgers was there best chance to even sniff a SB before Heyward (and possibly Watt) retire. Rudolph would have gotten them a higher pick in next year's draft and that's about it.
The other thing that is a side benefit is that just maybe Smith picks up a few tips from Rodgers on running a more pass-oriented offense. The can't hurt the offense. It's actually gonna be interesting to watch the clash in styles between Rodgers and Smith.