Real simple: Mason or Duck ?

[PghSouth]

I agree with going with Mason, but I'm in the "wait and see" camp. No one is talking about the effects of the hit that Mason took on his psyche/mechanics, ergo happy feet, not going through progressions, too quick of release, etc. Some players just aren't the same after taking a hit like that. Give him some leash, but make sure he's the same player in game situations....

[Nick79]

Mason. Duck showed great poise, but I think Mason can throw downfield better, and I'll base it on that. Plus, his size and he did win the job as #2.

[Jobu]

I was wrong.

Diontae Johnson had 2 catches for 14 yards.

That led our wide receivers. I'm not kidding.

Donte Moncrief was second with 1 catch for 11 yards (and it took an amazing catch by Moncrief to get those 11 yards).

Third? JuJu had 1 catch for 7 yards.

Even the TE position was poorly represented (remember when Mason threw 2 TD's right off the bench to Vance when he entered the Seahawks game?)

Vannett had 1 catch for 5 yards. Vance chipped in with 1 catch for 5 yards.

Duck has a long way to go....just like Mason, but Mason has looked a lot better and looked a lot better right off the bat.

One of the passes DJ caught was the jet sweep touch pass behind the line of scrimmage. I call this the Mahomes special, think he had 4-5 td passes like this last year.

Geno Smith got himself drafted in the second round by throwing about 12-15 of these per game when he was at WVU. It helps to have speedy WRs that can beat the defense to the corner...blows the stats up real nice.

[alancac98]

Mason

1) He won the job as #2 QB with his performance in camp. He hasn’t done anything to lose that job.

2) He’s more experienced in the system than Duck is at this point.

3) The staff had a “first round grade” on him. Doesn’t say much about their evaluation process if that extremely pedestrian game from Duck on Sunday is all it takes to unseat a player they viewed so highly and gave the #2 QB job to.

Mason starts until he plays himself out of the job.

Ditto!!!

[KCSteeler]

Rudolph, as long as the game plan isn't #1 make him a handoff monkey or #2 wildcat.

Given our injuries and overall shit talent at WR, we are going to see if Tomlin and Captain Bass Boat can construct an offensive game plan that doesn't get Rudolph killed. If I were opposing defenses, I would be stacking the box and pressuring as much as possible. He'll have to get rid of the ball quick.

[PennyBacker]

I think our QB of the future resides in some college program and not on the current roster, just for the record. I like Mason's work ethic (it's mentioned in virtually every article that his attention to minute detaul is part of his DNA) and his size and relative mobility and quick decision making. He's impressed me with his bounce back ability and my wife thinks he is handsome so that's that. He'll do till our difference maker gets back

The bolded would be my assessment of the situation.

Rudolph looks like an ideal back up. He has pedigree, is smart, likeable and capable. He does not have sparkle however. He does not, from what I have seen, appear to have the overall grit or toughness which Bradshaw or Roethlisberger have exemplified for the position. He also lacks top shelf arm strength, something which is important in the game today unless he has redeeming running ability.

Because of the above my vote went to Hodges. In 5 throws I saw the arm strength in Hodges that gives him more potential going forward. Ideally he could start and perform well enough that some other team looks at him as worthy of throwing a 1st rounder at. Given how those presently seem to be swapped like baseball cards from back in the pre-steriod era. Then next season, Big Ben could kick all the a$$ he could, and the Steelers could still be in position to get a top talent from the 2021 draft. I personally think that Hodges' cieling is the higher of the two. And that Mason would make a fantastic player coach for the QB of the future who will hopefully personify the greats of the position mentioned above.

Of course, I am a Stillers fan, so to some extent it is expected that the NFL cosmos will revolve around me.

[Stallworth16]

It’s not clear yet who would be the better long term starter. But the 2 and 3 were decided weeks ago and Mason will have to play himself out of that position or get injured. for Hodges to replace him.

[El Kabong]

It's okay with me if next training camp both guys have to compete for the #2 spot. Two dogs one bone an' 'at.

[JackLambert58]

I like them both and think they are the best backups since Leftwich and Batch. Rudolph is the more accomplished QB.

[Suwanee88]

Does it matter with the controls these coaches apply?

[K_C_]

Does it matter with the controls these coaches apply?

I think the imbeciles (Bitchner and Dumblin) were taking the chains off Mason when he got injured.

After the two dumbfuck twatwaffles literally handed the Ravens a 10-0 lead all by their brainless selves, you could see them finally say; "Fuck it, we have to let the kid throw".

Mason got us back in the game and was playing really well when he got CREAMED on that dirty hit by the cocksucker Thomas.

Obviously with Duck, they were going to go back to being cautious. Probably would have taken us being forced to throw again before they would have allowed Duck to really go downfield. His INT to lazy ass Holton wouldn't have helped his cause.

[Jizz Mop]

Did someone say if Hodges plays well we can parlay that into a 1st rounder for him?

I’m still a little sleepy

[K_C_]

Did someone say if Hodges plays well we can parlay that into a 1st rounder for him?

I’m still a little sleepy

Someone drunk, maybe.

[Steel Bingo]

Did someone say if Hodges plays well we can parlay that into a 1st rounder for him?

I’m still a little sleepy

Someone drunk, maybe.

Boozers. Those are the people who give Joe Falco a 120 million dollar deal. Or select that football player / quarter back from Florida in the 1st round like Denver did many years ago.

[tbsteel]

If Hodges had a first round value we'd be even bigger idiots for dealing him.

You guys realize there is a good chance Roethlisberger is done being a high quality QB, right?

Non-contact injury to the elbow on his throwing arm, struggles to take a hit now, gonna be 38 years old and that's an old 38. He's not some guy that was protected early in his career. He's logged a ton of hits, a ton of concussions and other injuries, a ton of insanely physical playoff games (i.e., he's like a NBA player that came out of school early and logged a ton of minutes including playoffs).

If Hodges and/or Rudolph play well enough to draw trade interest you damn sure aren't trading them. Would be completely moronic.

[El Kabong]

If Hodges had a first round value we'd be even bigger idiots for dealing him.

You guys realize there is a good chance Roethlisberger is done being a high quality QB, right?

Non-contact injury to the elbow on his throwing arm, struggles to take a hit now, gonna be 38 years old and that's an old 38. He's not some guy that was protected early in his career. He's logged a ton of hits, a ton of concussions and other injuries, a ton of insanely physical playoff games (i.e., he's like a NBA player that came out of school early and logged a ton of minutes including playoffs).

If Hodges and/or Rudolph play well enough to draw trade interest you damn sure aren't trading them. Would be completely moronic.

This is how I've been thinking of it.

[K_C_]

If Hodges had a first round value we'd be even bigger idiots for dealing him.

You guys realize there is a good chance Roethlisberger is done being a high quality QB, right?

Non-contact injury to the elbow on his throwing arm, struggles to take a hit now, gonna be 38 years old and that's an old 38. He's not some guy that was protected early in his career. He's logged a ton of hits, a ton of concussions and other injuries, a ton of insanely physical playoff games (i.e., he's like a NBA player that came out of school early and logged a ton of minutes including playoffs).

If Hodges and/or Rudolph play well enough to draw trade interest you damn sure aren't trading them. Would be completely moronic.

We won't trade either QB. Not worried about that in the least.

But....I also believe Ben has one more act left in his play. Maybe two but I believe he comes back refreshed for one more go round .

I do not think his career ends in a Bradshaw sort of way. Ben will have a championship-level defense and (hopefully) enough weapons to make another run or two....and I think he can do it.

We'll have a WR corps or JuJu, JW and Diontae. I'm sure our 2nd rounder will be either a WR or a TE. Our 3rd rounder will be whichever of those two positions we didn't get in the 2nd. Just gotta hope Diontae and Washington keep developing.

I don't believe we have any chance at being a playoff team this season. I just want to see development from our young guys (especially Mason, Diontae, James Washington, Conner, Snell, Samuels, etc) so that when Ben returns, this team is ready to explode like Bob Kraft's nuts in an asian rub and tug.

[SteelerDayTrader]

I think our WR group largely sucks and Im betting the Steelers make it a priority in the draft.

Its the increasingly unclutch but competent JuJu and a bunch of guys who cant get open or make plays.

[Obviously]

I think our WR group largely sucks and Im betting the Steelers make it a priority in the draft.

Its the increasingly unclutch but competent JuJu and a bunch of guys who cant get open or make plays.

Agree 100%

[Jobu]

I think our WR group largely sucks and Im betting the Steelers make it a priority in the draft.

Its the increasingly unclutch but competent JuJu and a bunch of guys who cant get open or make plays.

Agree 100%

Here also.
Washington is looking more and more like a dud, and although Johnson isn’t half way through his rookie season, he’s shown nothing to get too excited about.

[SteelerDayTrader]

Im not ready to dump Washington or DJ but RIGHT NOW they are what they are. Guys who arent effecting games positively. I think both might be better with someone DC's have to plan for other than JuJu.

If the Steelers added Donovan Peoples Jones and Emeka Emezie in the draft at WR that becomes a MUCH better unit. DPJ JuJu EE Washington DJ could really be a mismatch unit.

[tbsteel]

Im not ready to dump Washington or DJ but RIGHT NOW they are what they are. Guys who arent effecting games positively. I think both might be better with someone DC's have to plan for other than JuJu.

If the Steelers added Donovan Peoples Jones and Emeka Emezie in the draft at WR that becomes a MUCH better unit. DPJ JuJu EE Washington DJ could really be a mismatch unit.

Good stuff.

Our skill group is extremely mediocre. Don't have much faith in Washington at this point, he's a JAG with good hands who can't get open. Johnson is a fumble or a drop waiting to happen but still has some promise. Switzer is a Make-A-Wish kid living out his dream. If Moncrief isn't cut before he costs us a comp pick I'd consider it a fireable offense. McDonald had a career year last season, is a competent player, but the rest of our TEs are trash. Need a WR, a TE, and some o-line depth with our current 1 top 100 pick in the draft next year hah.

[PennyBacker]

Boozers. Those are the people who give Joe Falco a 120 million dollar deal. Or select that football player / quarter back from Florida in the 1st round like Denver did many years ago.

Bingo, he's Flacco. And not that people should trust everything which politicians say, but the president is on record saying he's elite, very elite.

Teams waste first rounders on QBs all the time. Jim Druckenmiller, Joey Harrington, JaMarcus Russel. Even David Carr caused Houston to miss out on a Vince Young experience. If a franchise were desperate due to an unexpected injury, and were looking for a competent option, they could do a lot worse than make an offer on a proven young talent at that position. The Steelers roster could have an arm to spare early next season.

[Steel Bingo]

Woof, most of those guys stunk. Mason is better.