Is Ben's replacement on the team?

So far, we have two in what, 18 years? And Brady was in a different era.

 

Rudolf may be Ben's replacement. I don't believe he will be an 'elite' QB like Ben though. So I hope Ben's replacement is not on the team yet.

 

I hope you are right. I have very little hope for Dobbs, he simply has a style that doesn't work in the NFL and I haven't seen any real sparks from him. I like the looks of Rudolph but I have read his scouting reports and they just don't translate to a top ten QB in the NFL.

 

Those scouting reports are from college. He is getting NFL coaching now and for the next couple of years. They will improve any warts they see in his game. That is the luxury we have with a franchise guy in place. Most teams don't have that time.

 

That's a high bar. Roethlisberger has his flaws, but he's going to the Hall of Fame. It's not often that a team has a Hall of Fame quarterback for well over a decade, then replaces him with another Hall of Famer.

Rudolph doesn't have to be bound for a gold jacket to be a viable replacement. There is a significant gap between having another player at Roethlisberger's level and turning the keys over to the next Cliff Stoudt.

 

Is Ben's successor on the team?
Maybe people need to think outside the box.
Maybe there is a hidden reason why the team keeps McCullers around...

 

Montana, Young
Favre, Rodgers

Yeah, it don't happen very often.

 

Bradshaw, Stoudt...……….Oh, wait!

 

I agree but it's nice to have a stud that can go down the field and score when you have to have it.

 

That's who I was thinking of that had broken the pattern. I couldn't think of any others in the last 30 or 40 years.

We've had a Hall of Fame quarterback starting for the Steelers since 2004. It's easy to take that for granted and forget how rare it is to find guys like that.

 

Why give Ben a new contract this year? Why not make him show that he is capable of high level play without AB? Why not see if he physically gets through this year without a debilitating injury? Why not wait a year to see if one of the youngsters steps up his play? If you wait you will only have to pay the market price of Ben which for 38 year old QB won't be as much as they will pay this year. Plus if one of the youngster plays well then there is even more leverage for management to keep Ben's contract in check.

 

It would lower his cap hit and offer more flexibility to fill out the roster as the season approaches. No wing the way they do business they would probably restructure it immediately as well making his salary so high by year 3 that he will retire or be cut.

 

What do you believe the odds are on picking up a stud like an Andrew Luck by doing whatever you have to when that type guy becomes available? To much to pay for the risk/return?

 

The guy making all the noise in 2017 was 4th round pick Kirk Cousins. In 2018 he became the highest paid player in NFL history.

 

Ahhhh that's a good one!

 

Technically speaking then, aren’t you hoping Rudolph’s replacement is not on the team yet?

 

Are you both talking about Santa's reindeer?

 

Damn those schematics. Get me every time.

 

We are in North America. Therefore that would actually be Santa’s Caribou.

But to be more specific, no, we’re still on football.

 

I watched Mahomes in college and could not believe he was rated behind Trubisky and Watson. Dude had an arm that just jumped off the tape. He has the best arm I’ve ever seen, including Aaron Rodgers. Bradshaw had great zip on the ball too.

But the way Mahomes was the son of an MLB pitcher, threw stronger on the run than a few Pro Bowl QB’s could standing still in a clean pocket, and had the confidence? Saw this coming TBH

 

Hate to disagree twice, Blast - not picking on you, promise! I don’t see confidence with Rudolph. I see it a little on the field perhaps (not the preseason for sure, but college yes) but even in interviews, seems a little ...lacking in confidence.

Rooting for him though! Seems like a zero ego guy. But is that because of little confidence?

 

Also, burning a third to see if Rudolph is the guy - good move. You take that chance all day.

And if it doesn’t work out? Trade that yrs 1st, the next years 1st and a 3rd for your QB of the future in a couple years. Steep price, but this is the most important position that has a 10-20 year shelf life.