Dixon at Minicamp

by BluegrassSteeler on May 3, 2009 12:01 AM EDT Comment 36 comments

So, if you're like me then you're quite intrigued by the prospect of Dennis Dixon eventually becoming the number 2 to Ben. He was certainly a surprise in the fifth in the 2008 draft when it seemed as if we should be looking at linemen on both sides of the ball. Still, it was hard not to get caught up in his potential.

God know's we all love Charlie and Lefty, but the end of Charlie's playing days are not far off and Leftwich has gone south to backup a kid from Kansas State. So, the need to move on and find the next bright prospect at QB is upon us.

There were huge questions about Dixon last year. While no one questioned his sheer athleticism and intelligence, there was considerable debate as to whether he had the complete skill set to be a good fill in for Ben. This is perhaps especially important for a team like the Steelers, since Ben usually ends up missing at least one game a year.

James Walker and Dale Lolley have both reported from the Steelers minicamp and both have spent considerable time praising Dixon, with Lolley even saying there is little to no difference between Batch and Dixon at this point. While Dixon may stay - or at least start - the year as the #3 QB. this is at the very least encouraging news for the future at the position. Having Dixon active on gameday would certainly allow us to work in a few interesting wrinkles into the offense...

Thoughts?

0 recs | Comment 36 comments | Add comment

Story-email Email Printer Print

Comments

all for it

I have to imagine the only thing that Batch has going for him over Dixon is experience. Dixon will certainly give teams something else to worry about.

by schnifin on May 3, 2009 12:13 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I was pumped when I read lolley’s blog today. Now we need the same report about someone like Hills.

by phxsteeler on May 3, 2009 12:39 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Dixons lucky

I think if he was picked up by a team like Detroit or Oakland he would be bouncing on and off practice squads. But the Steelers are patient with all positions and I believe that with the help of Batch and Big Ben Dixon might be the next Matt Schwab. I don’t mean to say that he’s not good enough to make the lions roster outright, I just feel like this is one of the few organisations that really cultivates players and he’s got a better shot here to learn the game than most other places.

it never got weird enough for me

by JerseyFresh on May 3, 2009 2:20 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Dixon = Slash

I won’t to see the Steelers get Dixon more involved in the offense. They could use him on trick plays and in their own version of the Wildcat.

Pittsburgh Blitz

by steelerguy26 on May 3, 2009 4:12 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

If he made #2 on the depth chart, but Steelers wont go with 3 QB active on gameday. Besides, I do not have confidence that Bruce Arians would know how to draw those kind of plays up or know when to call them. Good thought, though!

by SixBurgh on May 3, 2009 8:51 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

it’s time to move on at back-up QB guys. I could care less that Batch has more experience. In a back-up situation, you’re somewhat limited anyway, especially in our case with Ben being our best by far. So why not get someone back there that adds a different dimension that the Def has to worry about. Batch doesn’t do that anymore and defenses can tee off on him because he’s not a threat to take off and run and he can’t throw the ball 30-40 yards down field. Dixon brings more play making ability to the table. I’d rather have that on the field than anything else in a back-up situation. At least Lefty could make a play with his arm. Dixon can also add another dimension to our starting offense, that is if BA is smart enough to draw up those kind of plays as SixBurgh puts it. Its time to move forward at back-up QB.

by Hypocycloid on May 3, 2009 1:04 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

the Dixon dimension

I agree with you. I think Leftwich did bring in a different dimension that threw defenses off — just like in the Redskins game. Batch? Not so much. He’s a pocket passer, and he doesn’t have a rocket arm any longer. He also can’t scramble much anymore, which could tempt defenses to blitz even more.

We need to have Dixon be #2 so we can bring him in and out of a game as needed. Isn’t there a rule that says if you bring in the #3 QB for a game then the starter can’t come back in (unless #2 and #3 both can’t continue)?

If we have Dixon as #3, he’ll just be wasted for another season, and he won’t gain that “experience” to become a back-up. Why bother drafting him at all?

by TURFgeek on May 3, 2009 1:35 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

the rule

I always thought that the depth chart didn’t matter but if a third qb took the field than the starter had to sit the rest of the game. This was made so teams couldn’t just keep throwing weird looks at defenses. I could be totally wrong tho, but I don’t see why teams would carry a third qb in that case, it would make more sense to use an emergency guy like Hines or Randle El.

it never got weird enough for me

by JerseyFresh on May 3, 2009 3:08 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Yeah

There is a rule about the QB count on the roster. I think however the #3 QB permanently replaces whoever he goes in for.

So if Ben goes down, batch comes in, and batch gets hurt, Dixon comes in. But then Ben COULD return.

I think in all cases the #1 is allowed to come back in but I could be wrong.

by Mechem on May 3, 2009 5:26 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

found this on the internets

so it must be right ;)

“Teams will be permitted an Active List of 45 players and an Inactive List of eight players for each regular-season and postseason game. Provided that a club has two quarterbacks on its 45-player Active List, a third quarterback from its Inactive List is permitted to dress for the game, but if he enters the game during the first three quarters, the other two quarterbacks are thereafter prohibited from playing.”

by acrollet on May 3, 2009 5:32 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Damn

so then my question is when does one become a QB. I mean Ward played some QB in Georgia but he is our reciever, if ben went down and we had batch in would we be able to run the wildcat with ward? If so then couldn’t we list Dixon as a WR and just run a shit load of “gadget” plays and still not exhaust our qb dilemma? And if each wilcat qb was counted as an actual QB then that offense is quit risky.

I mean lets say Pennington gets knocked out of a game and Henne is in and doing quite well, but just to add a wrinkle to the offense Sporano decides to throw a wildcat play in where Brown takes a direct snap and scrambles right then throws a short pass to Ginn who runs across the middle for a nice gain. Would this play actually prohibit Henne (or Pennington if he were up to it) from re-entering the game? If so then when a team is using its backup QB you would never have to worry about Gadget plays.

it never got weird enough for me

by JerseyFresh on May 4, 2009 1:18 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I don't think you are fully understanding

If the Steelers include dixon as one of the 45 members of their active roster he is able to come on and off the field as much as he would like. The problem with this is that Dixon only plays 3rd string QB so he is taking up a roster spot that could be used for extra players who have positio flexibility and can play special teams.

So what Pittsburgh does and many other teams do, is have their third String QB dress, but they are not part of the 45 members of the active roster. Once they come in they make the other QB’s unable to retrun.

I'll drink your Milkshake, I'll drink it up!

by drinkyourmilkshake on May 4, 2009 6:34 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Gotcha

So he’s essentially a 45.5th man..

Makes some sense to me.

by Mechem on May 4, 2009 2:50 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Thanks

for clearing that up. So we could activate like 10 QBs (and have no depth, haha) and they could all play because thier active.

One more thing, does this same rule ring true for any position?

it never got weird enough for me

by JerseyFresh on May 4, 2009 4:56 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Only QB, otherwise we wouldn’t keep so many OL active.

Don't worry about the haters. Haters only hate.

by steelguy99 on May 4, 2009 5:16 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

agreed hypocycloid

Batch brings very little to the table on the actual field. Still has value, just not much as a player anymore.

by Blitzburgh on May 4, 2009 4:05 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Last year's class all redshirted..

Mendenhall played half a game, Sweed caught a few balls, and the rest of the rooks basically sat and watched. The team should reap some benefits from that this season. Batch has to go at some point, and Ward is getting creakier by the year, so there should be opportunity for Dixon and Sweed. With Ward’s physical issues and Holme’s lifestyle issues Sweed and Baker could move up the depth chart in hurry. The team brought in a lot of WR candidates this year, while just losing one.

by robert ethan on May 3, 2009 2:59 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Dixon was never a slash player..

He never played any other position at the college level, and didn’t even with run the ball that much until his senior season. He doesn’t have the body type for it either, I think you want a stocky, durable, guy like Ward or Randle El.

by robert ethan on May 3, 2009 3:08 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Either was Kordell

Kordell was a starting college QB, that was it. Drafted in the 2nd round, as a QB.

I'll drink your Milkshake, I'll drink it up!

by drinkyourmilkshake on May 3, 2009 3:54 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I tend to agree that Dixon probably is best suited to be a straight up QB. However, this doesn’t mean we couldn’t run some version of the wildcat with him once or twice a game Unlike Ronnie Brown Dixon is a real threat to pass or run, so most defenses would have to keep the safety out of the box. It would be a cool wrinkle to throw and not all that gimmicky.

by BluegrassSteeler on May 3, 2009 3:29 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Although that being said if Joe Flacco can catch a pass running then DD ought to be able to as well

by BluegrassSteeler on May 3, 2009 3:32 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

hey now

Ben was a WR until his senior year of high school

by schnifin on May 3, 2009 4:31 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

My Ideal Scenario

In a perfect world, Dixie Cups learns from Large Benjamin and Chucky all year.

Next year, after a repeat, Benji pulls a groin running on a scramble and sits out two games. In those two games against lesser opponents Dixie Cups comes in and lights up the game with 3 rushing TD’s and 5 passing TDs for those two games.

Teams are now erect, and we trade him for a crisp 2nd round pick.

by Mechem on May 3, 2009 5:25 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

lol, like it meech

by Blitzburgh on May 4, 2009 4:07 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Its basically a Matt Cassel move all over again

by Mechem on May 4, 2009 6:55 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Bruce Arians is not smart enough to utilize Dixons talent anyhow.

by Steel nuggets on May 3, 2009 5:32 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I'm hoping the SB changes him

His SB43 game plan was excellent for 3 quarters, if we played like that all year we’d clean house. Maybe there is hope.

by Mechem on May 4, 2009 2:51 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Running QB might entice Arians...

to try QB keeper from midfield on 4th down and 50.

by SCSteeler on May 3, 2009 7:29 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

haha, love it.

Wait a second….didn’t run for 47 yards on third and short last preseason? Arians just might call it.

by phxsteeler on May 4, 2009 10:06 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I wish Batch would retire

I love the guy and he served us well but come on..Tell me if Ben goes down you will feel good with him. Find a place for him on our coaching squad. Dixon needs to step up and prove he is a viable 2, if not we need to sign someone. I am really going to miss Leftwhich. It is always good to know you have that security blanket.

by TheCommish on May 3, 2009 10:02 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs