INDIANAPOLIS -- Quarterbacks will take center stage Friday at the NFL Scouting Combine and with Ben Roethlisberger now 35, many would think the Steelers would be very interested in keeping a close eye on that position, which is considered one of the deepest in recent years in overall talent.
But with Roethlisberger telling teammates he wants to play at least three more seasons, the Steelers' thinking on the position has evolved from what it might have been a year ago at this time when the franchise quarterback was talking openly about considering retirement.
So despite the fact there are as many as six quarterbacks looked at as possible first-round picks in this draft, the team isn't quite as intent on finding Roethlisberger's potential replacement as it might have once been. But the Steelers also are not going to completely ignore the position should a potential star fall into their lap as happened in 2005 when Aaron Rodgers fell to the Packers with the 24th pick in the first round.
Green Bay still had Brett Favre on its roster. Even though Favre would turn 36 that year, the Packers took Rodgers in the first round and sat him on the bench for three years behind their future Hall of Fame quarterback.
"It doesn’t change our evaluation process because how many years he decides to play, who knows? If you draft a guy then maybe in four years that kid is ready to play," Kevin Colbert said. "That does not dismiss Joshua Dobbs or Landry Jones with us either because those guys are still young players as well. So, you never dismiss any position because if you say you are not going to take a position and a player is available to you that you didn’t project to be available at a certain pick then you are going to make the pick regardless of the position."
To continue reading, log into your account:
