Steelers’ QB depth chart has Mason Rudolph No. 2, Dwayne Haskins No. 3, Josh Dobbs No. 4

USA Today

The Steelers have released their first depth chart of training camp, and although that’s not necessarily a reflection of where the players will ultimately end up, it’s an interesting opportunity to take a look at the quarterback competition in Pittsburgh.

Ben Roethlisberger, of course, is No. 1 on the quarterback depth chart. No surprise there.

In the backup battle, Mason Rudolph has the early lead as the No. 2 quarterback. New arrival Dwayne Haskins is No. 3. And Josh Dobbs, who was drafted by the Steelers in 2017 but has never started a game and thrown only 17 passes for them, is the No. 4 quarterback.

Haskins bears watching in training camp and the preseason. A first-round pick who was unceremoniously dumped last year in Washington, Haskins has undeniable talent but failed to put it together in his first NFL stop. Pittsburgh is a place where he could have a year to develop behind Roethlisberger and then compete for a starting job again in 2022, but it’s also a place where if he blows his second chance, he may not get a third chance.

29 responses to “Steelers’ QB depth chart has Mason Rudolph No. 2, Dwayne Haskins No. 3, Josh Dobbs No. 4

  1. That looks about right. Once Haskins gets released, Dobbs will move up to #3, and that’s how it will stay. Mason Rudolph could be a franchise QB, once Big Ben retires. It’s just like what we saw with Josh Allen. One day Allen is a unanimous bust, a couple weeks later he’s a top 5 QB. Rudolph could be as good as Ben. Like any young QB, he just needs reps.

  2. Haskins has talent, he just hasn’t grown up. This is his last chance in the NFL to become a hard working, responsible adult. I wish him well, but I have my doubts he can do it.

  3. Ben can take Haskins under his wing and show him all the good ripper bars in town.

  4. “Mason Rudolph could be a franchise QB, once Big Ben retires. It’s just like what we saw with Josh Allen.”
    ———————

    You are in an extremely small group of people who share that view, both at the time each was drafted (Rudolph 76th overall, Allen 7th overall) but especially now.

  5. While he hasn’t looked good so far, I agree that the jusry is still out on Mason Rudolph. We’ve really only seen him in that terrible dink and dunk offense they ran for two years after firing Todd Haley. He’s a young QB. Give him a chance in a real offense and see what he has. A lot of young Qbs have had a bad year before developing into a solid starter. I’m not saying I would bet on him, but I wouldn’t bet on Baker Mayfield either, and the Browns are still about to give him franchise QB money and he had a disastrous season a couple years ago.

  6. didn’t haskins get beat up by his fiance last week and then get trolled on social media when he asked some influencer to repay 20k that he spent on her? no reason for them to be wasting practice reps on him

  7. They are all from the Island of Misfits, but talent wins out in the end. Haskins has it, the other backups don’t.

  8. Signing Haskins to a contract with no signing bonus and minimum saved them a draft pick on a developmental QB. He has pedigree just needs seasoning. He’s got a beautiful throwing motion and mechanics. Jim Plunkett and Terry Bradshaw took several years before the light came on and those two combined to win 6 Lombardi’s.

  9. Haskins should be 3A & Dobbs 3B- they’re virtually interchangeable. If the Steelers have to go to one or the other early in the season, they’re in BIG trouble.

  10. I just read the accounts of Haskins’ problems with his wife and the social influencer. The kid needs to grow up. Fast. And now. To this point, he has not demonstrated to anyone that he has the mental skills and the drive to be a winning quarterback in the NFL, and the off-the-field issues are not helping his cause. If he’s not careful, and if he’s not focused, he’ll be worrying more about staying on a team period, rather than where he is on the depth chart.

  11. “Big Ben has bulked up and is ready for his best season ever. It is unlikely that depth will be needed.”

    If you google Big Ben weight loss, you’ll find that the opposite has happened. He has lost weight by sticking to a strict diet.

  12. Something everyone overlooks with Haskins (and I’m saying this as a Washington fan who’s seen him since he was drafted) is that his lack of athleticism is also a major issue.

    Even if he ever figured out the leadership responsibilities of the position (something I feel you’re born with and can’t be taught at this point in life), he’s always going to be a liability because he lacks the natural ability to move in the pocket, climb the pocket correctly, avoid sacks, etc. Even if it comes together mentally and maturely, he’s less mobile than Brady, Rivers or even Don Strock from 30 years ago!

    When I saw his knock knees at the combine I knew that’d be a a major issue in the NFL. Don’t believe me, watch the combine tape and watch him walk around. His knees almost touch! He almost gets his legs crossed with each other when he gets pressured in the pocket and can’t get out of it. That’s when he throws most of his interceptions.

    Good riddance and good luck with all those issues, Steelers!

  13. Haskins:. He can throw a ball 70 yards, but he couldn’t hit the proverbial broad side of a barn.. he also cannot read a defence. My 11 year old is more mature than him. And he puts himself before his teammates. Other than those things, he’s alright. Camp arm at best.

  14. charliecharger says:
    July 24, 2021 at 4:27 pm
    . Mason Rudolph could be a franchise QB, once Big Ben retires.

    ———

    What have you possibly seen that leads you to conclude that?

  15. haskins is geno smith and travsris jackson: cannot read a defense and tosses game killing picks

  16. Undeniable talent???? Really??? I DENY IT!
    thankfully, I’ve never been a Steeler fan ever since the illegitimate reception!

  17. Once upon a time, I too thought Rudolph might be starting QB material. Then there was a game where Rudolph went in to replace Big Ben. You could just visibly notice the difference in the quality of passing. Big Ben threw like a Pro QB with plenty of zip on his throws. Rudolph threw like a college QB, kind of rainbowing his throws.

  18. jojomogir says:

    July 24, 2021 at 5:24 pm

    “Mason Rudolph could be a franchise QB, once Big Ben retires. It’s just like what we saw with Josh Allen.”
    ———————

    You are in an extremely small group of people who share that view, both at the time each was drafted (Rudolph 76th overall, Allen 7th overall) but especially now.

    ———–
    He also claimed repeatedly that David Fales is a franchise qb too so i wouodnt take his qb evaluations seriously

  19. Not saying Rudolph has been consistently good (and it is undeniable that at times he’s been pretty bad), but in his last start, he came within a hair of beating the Browns in Week 17, with the Steelers resting multiple starters for the game and the Browns in a must-win scenario. You know- the Browns who are so good that they’ve pretty much already been crowned the AFC North champs for this season, so they must be a pretty tough team to beat, right?

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