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In case you didn’t know, the Pittsburgh Steelers will return to Saint Vincent College in Latrobe, PA in exactly 12 days of this article being published. With that, I decided to revive an old series we used to do as a lead up to training camp.
30 predictions in 30 days.
Myself and Simon Chester are alternating days giving a prediction for the upcoming season. Some will be team oriented, while others will be specific to individual players. Either way, read on to see the reason why we think today’s prediction will come to fruition, and why it might not come true. Give your thoughts in the comment section below the article.
Training camp is almost here! Here We Go!
Prediction: Mason Rudolph won’t just win the backup QB job, but will play meaningful snaps in 2019.
Why it will happen: This scenario is unique because it is a two-part scenario. First, Rudolph would have to beat out Joshua Dobbs for the backup quarterback role. Second, Rudolph would have to find his way onto the field.
In my opinion, both of these parts are realistic. Rudolph was drafted for a reason, and most are expecting Rudolph to come into training camp and prove he is the next in line behind Ben Roethlisberger. While I am not wishing injury to No. 7, the reality is there are more seasons where he misses time than those where he didn’t miss any.
Last season Dobbs saw meaningful action in two games: vs. the Baltimore Ravens and again vs. the Oakland Raiders. Not significant playing time, but significant snaps nonetheless.
My hope is not only that Rudolph proves he is the QB2 on the depth chart, but might get lucky and play in some blowout wins, or even a game at the end of the season which means nothing. Still competitive snaps, although they might lack in meaning. To me, this is a very realistic scenario for the black-and-gold quarterbacks in 2019.
Why it won’t happen: While Rudolph has a strong following among the Pittsburgh Steelers faithful, the fact he didn’t beat out Dobbs last year should speak volumes. This isn’t to cut on Dobbs and his capabilities, but mainly just to point out nothing is guaranteed for Rudolph to ascend the depth chart to QB2. While a safe assumption might be Roethlisberger, Dobbs and Rudolph rounding out the QB depth chart, putting Rudolph as the next man up might be premature.
On top of that, Roethlisberger has been staying healthy behind one of the best offensive lines in the NFL. If the Steelers have another season like they did in 2018, where there are few blowouts or meaningless games, neither Dobbs or Rudolph will see competitive snaps.
It might be fun to think about what the future might hold with Rudolph at the helm, but 2020 is more likely his chance to climb the depth chart, not in 2019.
What are your thoughts on this prediction? Do you think it will happen? Or are we crazy? Let us know by voting in the poll, and letting your voice be heard in the comment section below!