Now that the 2019 NFL Draft is underway, and the roster heading into the offseason is close to finalized—though always fluid—it’s time to take stock of where the Pittsburgh Steelers stand. Specifically where Steelers players stand individually based on what we have seen happen over the course of the past few months.
A stock evaluation can take a couple of different approaches and I’ll try to make clear my reasonings. In some cases it will be based on more long-term trends, such as an accumulation of offseason activity. In other instances it will be a direct response to something that just happened. So we can see a player more than once over the course of the summer as we head toward training camp.
Player: QB Joshua Dobbs
Stock Value: Up
I think most readers here know that I’m not necessarily the biggest fan of Joshua Dobbs as an NFL quarterback. From what I can discern, I do love the man as a person. He legitimately seems to be a great and humble man, in addition to being intelligent and driven and open with his time.
None of that makes somebody better able to throw a football or read a defense, though. At least not directly. And Dobbs is going to have to try to fend off Mason Rudolph in the latter’s second season now, after getting a year of seasoning under his belt.
He saved his hide last year by performing well enough to convince the Steelers that he could be Ben Roethlisberger’s backup over Landry Jones, the latter of whom would be released—and is now trying to make it in the XFL—but while his job shouldn’t be under much pressure this time around, he should expect even hotter competition from Rudolph in 2019.
And he’s getting ready for it. Which is the great thing about him, and what could drive him to success. He’s always looking for work. Last year, he talked about being restless spending so much time not doing anything, including in the offseason, and was just ready to get back to work.
He recently was seen working out with wide receiver Donte Moncrief, getting in some training time on the field when many of his teammates are off on a vacation somewhere or other. To be sure, he’s not the only player getting work done on the field, but building that chemistry with one of his targets—especially a new target—shows the kind of effort he is putting in to retaining his job.
I like to see that a lot. It’s something in which I place a lot of value, especially for a player in his position, who in spite of the fact that he is technically the incumbent, many might view as the underdog. Both Dobbs and Rudolph are going to get a ton on snaps and reps in practice in August, and it should be fun to watch, largely because of how driven both of them are.
