Steelers News: Could Devlin Hodges unseat Mason Rudolph or Joshua Dobbs for the QB3 job?

With all of the Steelers’ 2019 offseason workouts in the rear view mirror, the Pittsburgh Steelers’ fan base has to suffer through the dog days of summer until the boys of fall return to the gridon. In the meantime, don’t think the news surrounding the black-and-gold is over. As the team disperses for the summer, we continue to provide you with features, commentary and opinions to tide you over until training camp!

Today in the black-and-gold links article we take a look at whether or not Devlin Hodges could possibly unseat Joshua Dobbs or Mason Rudolph as the third quarterback on the Steelers’ depth chart.

Let’s get to the news:

• On paper it seems as if the Pittsburgh Steelers’ quarterback depth chart is solidified. Ben Roethlisberger as the QB1, and either Mason Rudolph or Joshua Dobbs as QB2 and QB3. But what about Devlin Hodges? Could the man who impressed the Steelers enough to earn an offseason roster spot shock the fan base and earn a roster spot?

NCAA’s Division I passing leader last year, Devlin Hodges looks to impress Steelers

By: Chris Adamski, Pittsburgh Tribune-Reveiw

He’s one of the longest shots among the 91 men on the Pittsburgh Steelers’ training-camp roster to still be standing with the team by the start of the regular season. But Devlin Hodges has 14,584 reasons why he believes he can make the Steelers.

“As far as me feeling like I should be here, I definitely feel like it,” Hodges said from the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex earlier this month. “I have got that confidence.

“If you ask me I think I should be No. 1 pick. I feel like everyone, if they are confident in themselves, that’s what they should think. I am a confident player; I know I have a lot of to learn. But I am excited to come out and… take each opportunity I have to show the coaches that I can play at this level.”

To read the full article, click HERE (Free)

• There has been a lot written about Artie Burns and his struggles. But what if Burns’ struggles aren’t related to scheme or design, but nothing more than him fighting himself?

Carter’s Classroom: Artie vs. himself

By: Chris Carter, DKPittsburghSports

The Steelers have moved on from Artie Burns, as shown in their investment into Steven Nelson and Justin Layne during the offseason and their exclusion of Burns from the defense in the second half of the 2018 season.

He’s still on the roster, for now, and unless he surprises everyone he will join Jarvis Jones as the only first-round picks of the 2010s to receive neither an extension or a fifth-year option. Burns’ problems aren’t because he can’t get the job done, it’s because he’s getting in his own way:

Back in 2017 the Steelers had enough confidence in Burns to leave him on an island in coverage just like they did with Joe Haden. Burns had shown quick development to stay within the scheme as a press cornerback and his challenges of Antonio Brown in training camp.

To read the full article, click HERE ($$)

• Steelers fans are the best fans in the NFL, right? A recent study says otherwise...

Study suggests Steelers rank No. 5 in NFL ‘fandom’

By: Joe Rutter, Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

In one metric, the Pittsburgh Steelers remain behind the New England Patriots once again.

They also trail the Dallas Cowboys, Philadelphia Eagles and New York Giants.

The category is NFL fandom, a study that Emory University business school professor Michael Lewis has compiled in recent years.

In data that Lewis released Monday, the Steelers rank No. 5 among NFL teams, trailing (in order) the Cowboys, Patriots, Eagles and Giants.

Lewis bases his annual rankings on economic and marketing theory and statistical analysis. Some of the factors used in gauging fan interest include attendance, revenue, social media following and road attendance. He also weighs market size and short-term changes in winning and losing.

To read the full article, click HERE (Free)

• Mason Rudolph didn’t get many reps with the starters in 2018, but that has changed this offseason. Rudolph is taking full advantage of the reps too.

Steelers’ Mason Rudolph making most of first-team reps

By: Jeremy Fowler, ESPN

Quarterback Mason Rudolph might not play extended snaps for a few years, but the Pittsburgh Steelers are expediting the learning curve, and Rudolph is responding.

Rudolph, a 2018 third-round pick competing with Josh Dobbs for the No. 2 quarterback job behind Ben Roethlisberger, said after OTAs that he’s getting “a lot” more first-team reps in practices than a year ago.

The Steelers like to rotate quarterbacks in efforts to get Roethlisberger -- who signed a three-year, $85-million extension in April -- more rest.

”(Offensive coordinator) Randy (Fichtner) feels more comfortable with me and my knowledge,” Rudolph said. “I’m going to go in there and run the play and execute.”

To read the full article, click HERE (Free)

• Social Media Madness