Tomlin awaits update on Big Ben’s recovery
Steelers coach Mike Tomlin will know soon when he might have his starting quarterback available in the offseason, and he already knows who will be backing him up.
Tomlin addressed his iffy quarterback group and a number of other subjects Tuesday during his final news conference of the season.
Ben Roethlisberger, who was placed on injured reserve after the second game of the season, is recovering from elbow surgery and will get an update Feb. 1 “that will be significant in terms of mapping out what’s next,” Tomlin said.
Tomlin did not disclose a date when Roethlisberger will begin throwing, but Roethlisberger indicated to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s Ron Cook in November that he was on schedule with his rehabilitation.
“OTAs. Minicamp. Somewhere in there,” Roethlisberger said. “Just taking it nice and slow, doctors’ orders. It’s all about what they say.”
Roethlisberger’s backup next season will be Mason Rudolph, Tomlin said. Rudolph, who also finished the season on injured reserve after a clavicle injury in Week 16 ended his season, took over for Roethlisberger when he was injured but lost his job to rookie undrafted free agent Devlin Hodges late in the season.
“Mason is the backup,” Tomlin said. “I’m comfortable with Mason. I’m disappointed he missed the amount of time he did. He had an opportunity to grow and get a lot of experience.”
Rudolph played in 10 games this season and was 53 as a starter.
Tomlin did not dismiss the possibility of adding a veteran quarterback to the mix, but he said that is something he and the coaching staff will discuss in detail in the coming weeks.
“I don’t even know what the potential market is as I stand here to be quite honest with you,” Tomlin said. “I’m just not ready to weigh those options. We’re open to any and all options that will allow us to put the strongest football team on the field. But to stand before you and act like I have an understanding of the depths of the quarterback market would be an untruth.”
Roethlisberger’s health will be the most important storyline of the offseason, but Bud Dupree’s status is close behind. The fifth-year outside linebacker can become an unrestricted free agent in March, but the Steelers can place the franchise tag on him and prevent him from hitting the open market.
“He’s a priority for us, but we haven’t had extensive meetings defining that,”
Tomlin said. “But make no mistake, Bud Dupree is a priority for us.”
Staff changes coming?
Tomlin will meet with players in the coming days and won’t get around to meeting with his coaches on an individual basis until next week, but he acknowledged that staff changes usually come about every year.
“I don’t have any idea,” he said. “I don’t put the coaches in front of the players. I’m visiting with the players now. I understand change is a part of the business, so I wouldn’t be shocked if there is some movement and change. That’s just part of this business, particularly in 2019.”
Tomlin also did not close the door on the idea of adding an experienced quarterbacks coach. The Steelers went without one last season.
“In terms of the division of labor, those are things I evaluate as I assess the staff,” he said. “I’m not opposed to that exploration.”
By not participating in the playoffs, Tomlin will turn to the evaluating side of the operation and get ready for the 2020 draft a few weeks before he would like. It’s something Tomlin enjoys, but he’d rather be starting the process later.
“I embrace that element of it,” he said. “That’s the only way I get over the disappointment of the season. In a few weeks I’ll be headed to Mobile [for the Senior Bowl]. After that I’ll be exposing myself to free agents, get prepared for [the scouting combine] and the interviews associated with that. I look forward to doing that. It’s therapeutic for me.”