Backup plan remains fluid for Steelers at quarterback position
Feb. 18—Some NFL observers saw the Pittsburgh Steelers sign a former first-round draft pick last month and projected him to be an heir apparent to soon-to-be 39-year-old Ben Roethlisberger.
General manager Kevin Colbert, the man responsible for offering Dwayne Haskins a futures contract, took a pragmatic approach to the signing of the 23-year-old quarterback.
"It was a no-risk pickup for us," Colbert said.
With Roethlisberger's future hinging on whether he and the Steelers can agree about how to reduce his $41.25 million salary cap hit and no quarterbacks signed beyond the 2021 season, Colbert added Haskins to the offseason roster less than two weeks after the team's 48-37 wild-card playoff loss to Cleveland.
Haskins comes with considerable upside. He was, after all, taken No. 15 overall by Washington in the 2019 draft. He also comes with baggage, which was the reason Washington cut him before his second NFL season was complete.
Haskins broke covid-19 protocol in December when he was photographed without a mask while attending his girlfriend's birthday party with strippers. The event happened hours after a loss to Seattle, and Haskins was fined $40,000 and lost his captaincy. Haskins was fined earlier in the season for another covid-19 protocol violation. His preparation also came into question.
After he was released in late December, Haskins passed through waivers and became a free agent. His Steelers' contract includes no guarantees and is worth $850,000 if he makes the team.
"It didn't work out for him," Colbert said this week during a video conference call with reporters. "There was a change in regimes. He was cut, and it was a no-risk pickup for us. He is a very talented player, and we will find out more about him once we get him in here and get him out on the field."
Haskins essentially swaps roster spots with Devlin Hodges, who was fourth on the depth chart last year and joined the Los Angeles Rams after the Haskins signing. And he would be in a similar position to another former first-round pick, Paxton Lynch, who was on the practice squad in 2019 before being cut at the end of training camp last year.
Haskins and backup Mason Rudolph are the only quarterbacks on the offseason roster behind Roethlisberger. Josh Dobbs, the No. 3 quarterback last year, is an unrestricted free agent.
"Does that mean we can't continue to add to the position? Absolutely not," Colbert said. "Nothing we will do in this free agency period will preclude us from continuing to look at that and add a player at that position."
Like Roethlisberger, Rudolph is entering the final year of his contract. Unlike Roethlisberger, he comes at a team-friendly salary cap hit of about $1.25 million. If Roethlisberger retires or is released, Rudolph would enter the season as the starter and could be in line for an extension.
After starting eight games in 2019 when Roethlisberger missed all but two games because of right elbow surgery, Rudolph made just one start last season. It came while Roethlisberger rested in the regular-season finale against Cleveland.
"Mason wants to prove who he is," Colbert said. "I know he would like to play more. Last year, he only got to play one game because we had no preseason. Hopefully, we get back up to a full preseason, whatever it is. We know we are playing the Hall of Fame Game. So, I know that Mason wants to get out and prove that he can play at this level.
"I think that's first and foremost."
Rudolph is 5-4 in his nine career starts. And despite losing that 24-22 decision at Cleveland in Week 17, Rudolph passed for 315 yards and threw two touchdowns in the fourth quarter to help rally the Steelers to within a missed 2-point conversion of tying the score.
"It was probably the best game he played for us," Colbert said. "Unfortunately, we came up a little bit short, but it was very encouraging to see Mason play like he did in a tough situation. Cleveland was desperate to win. It was at their home field and we came within two points of beating them. So I think that was encouraging for us. And hopefully we get to see Mason take some more steps in whatever role he has or whatever playing time he gets, be it preseason or regular season."
Joe Rutter is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Joe by email at jrutter@triblive.com or via Twitter .
