I noted yesterday that Steelers quarterback Dennis Dixon hadn’t reported to training camp because he wanted to go to a team that would give him a chance to start. I also opined that if Dixon wants to develop into an NFL starter, the place to do that is on the practice field, not at home.
Apparently Dixon has now come around.
James Walker of ESPN reports that Dixon will sign his one-year restricted free-agent tender and report to the Steelers.
Dixon is a restricted free agent with a fifth-round tender, which means any team was free to sign Dixon to an offer sheet and, if the Steelers declined to match the offer, acquire him for nothing more than a fifth-round pick. The fact that no team signed him to such an offer sheet indicates that NFL teams don’t view Dixon as ready to be an NFL starter.
So Dixon’s best bet is to keep working as he backs up Ben Roethlisberger. Now he’s about to get back to work.