Pittsburgh Steelers Brings in Patrick Mahomes and Joshua Dobbs for Pre-draft Visit
Ben Roethlisberger's not going anywhere. He may have flirted with retirement this offseason, but no one is taking this seriously. People around the league don't think he's ready to walk away from the sport and fans know he will be back next season.
One thing is true, though. Roethlisberger will have to hang up his cleats one day and the Pittsburgh Steelers will have to be ready when that day comes. And it appears that the search for his successor may have already begun.
According to NFL.com's Ian Rapoport, the Steelers brought in Texas Tech's Patrick Mahomes II and Tennessee's Joshua Dobbs for a pre-draft visit on Monday.
Get Our Latest News for FREE
Mahomes is one of the top five quarterbacks in this year's draft class and according to CBS Sports, he's expected to land somewhere in the first or second round. Mahomes is undoubtedly talented, but he may need some time to develop in the big leagues since he comes from a system that hasn't done well in the league. He'll get the opportunity to do just that if the Steelers pick him.
"Roethlisberger should have at least two prime years left. During that time, Landry Jones can remain the primary backup if necessary. If Mahomes is really that talented, which many believe he is, he's a logical candidate to learn for three years while Mike Tomlin and his staff nurture the upside," ESPN's Jeremy Fowler said in his report.
Meanwhile, Dobbs is a late-round project that also has a lot of upside. He should be an interesting option for the Steelers as well if they decide to use their higher picks to address their other major needs.
"Finding a quarterback in the later rounds might be preferable to some in the Steelers organization, as the team's window the win a championship is open now, while Roethlisberger is still at the helm," Andrew Kulp of All 22 said in his report.
