The Pittsburgh Steelers missed last year’s playoffs in large part because of the quarterback position. Ben Roethlisberger suffered a season-ending elbow injury in Week 2, forcing the team to go with Mason Rudolph and Devlin Hodges under center for the final 14 games.

Both quarterbacks struggled, and Pittsburgh ranked 30th in total offense. Despite a top-five defense, the Steelers went 8-8 and finished a game out of the playoff race.

With a 38-year-old starting quarterback coming off a major injury, Pittsburgh appeared to be a strong candidate to sign a reliable backup in free agency. The Steelers were a logical landing spot for Jameis Winston before he joined the New Orleans Saints. DraftKings Sportsbook gives Pittsburgh 5/1 odds to sign Andy Dalton or Cam Newton, both of whom are free agents.

Don’t expect either veteran to end up in Pittsburgh. Steelers general manager Kevin Colbert has suggested that the organization is set with the quarterbacks on the roster.

“Mason and Devlin (Hodges) both got put in, quite honestly, before we had hoped they would,” Colbert said on Inside Access on 105.7 The Fan Radio Thursday, “but sometimes that happens … They got put into a tough situation quick, and Mason responded and as a starting quarterback he was 5-3, and Devlin was 3-3. They both did a lot of good things.”

Rudolph didn’t attempt a pass in 2018 when the Steelers made him a third-round pick. He threw for 1.765 yards, 13 touchdowns, nine interceptions and an 82.0 passer rating in 10 games last season. Rudolph missed time with a concussion in October and was replaced by Hodges at halftime in Week 12.

Hodges made his first start in Week 6, one month after he was signed to Pittsburgh’s practice squad as a rookie. The 24-year-old threw for 1,063 yards, five touchdowns, eight interceptions and a 71.4 passer rating in eight games.

"Was it good enough to get us in the playoffs? No, it wasn't, so we can never be totally comfortable with knowing that we didn't make it last year, and that puts us in a very precarious position where we have to get back in,” Colbert said. “But we also feel like we know that Mason learned as he went through that and his best game was his last game, after getting benched, which he deserved and he knew that. And he responded in a very positive way by staying positive and helping Devlin whenever he could … And after his benching you saw a guy who was determined to get better and we're confident that he will."

It wouldn’t have cost much for the Steelers to acquire Winston. Last year’s passing leader inked a $1.1 million contract with the Saints.

The Jacksonville Jaguars are reportedly interested in Dalton. Newton’s future is very much up in the air as he recovers from foot surgery.

Ben Roethlisberger Pittsburgh Steelers
Ben Roethlisberger #7 of the Pittsburgh Steelers drops back to pass in the first half during the game against the New England Patriots at Heinz Field on December 16, 2018 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Justin K. Aller/Getty Images
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