One of the hot topics, if not the hottest topic, of this Steelers preseason has been the backup quarterbacks behind Ben Roethlisberger.
Who should be the #2? Who has the brighter future when Ben retires?
Former Buffalo Bills GM Doug Whaley joins The Fan Morning Show every Wednesday from 9-10 am in-studio. He said that he would set the depth chart behind Roethlisberger week by week, making it game plan specific and making it more difficult for opponents to game plan against the Steelers should Ben go down in a game.
Whaley thinks there's a distinction between the two as far as their NFL futures, though. When asked if Dwayne Haskins has the tools to be an NFL starter again, he responded with, "Yes, no doubt about it."
When asked the same question about Mason Rudolph, the answer was a bit different.
"He can start. The ceiling is much lower on Mason Rudolph," said Whaley. "So, when you have a Mason Rudolph, you're going to have to have a complimentary team around him. I hate to say he's a game manager but here's what I say…"
"He can make plays, but he's not a consistent play maker. Dwayne Haskins has a chance to be a consistent play maker."
So, who holds the veto power to make the decision to put Haskins over Rudolph for not only now, but the future?
"Well, it's ultimately Art Rooney. But when I was there and I haven't been there for a while…he empowers coach Tomlin to do it. Coach Tomlin is going to say, 'I control the depth chart and he's our #2.' Now, if there's something out there that we're not privy to, contract wise or off the field wise, Art can say, 'Yeah that's great, but I want this guy.'"
"I look at it this way, those three (including Colbert) so hand-in-hand, they're going to make a decision together."
If it came down to it, and Whaley were the general manager of the Steelers, he says he would go with Dwayne Haskins over Mason Rudolph for the future.
"I'd play the long game and say Haskins. You already know what you have in Rudolph. You already know. There's no question. Can he get incrementally better? Maybe. Can he make leaps and bounds to be better? I think he's where he's going to be."
"But Haskins? Let's find out. If I had to make a choice, put Haskins as the #2."
