Yes: I’m not particularly concerned about the Steelers current backup QB “situation.”

Much has been made about preseason games thus far, and backup quarterback play in those games. I’ve heard comparisons to other teams/players (Cowboys’ rookie QB Dak Prescott) as well as being told “we should only care about the Steelers” (as close-minded view, I would say so.)

Yet, I’m addressing the question at hand, because there’s way too much panic on the fans behalf, for an issue that shouldn’t really be an issue: the exhibition games don’t count for a reason. If they counted, backups wouldn’t be playing. Those games are a way to evaluate talent; individual talent in a team environment. When athletes are playing alongside others who may not be there a week later, it’s hard to build continuity… of course that’s why the play (and the games) are subpar!

On that note, here are several reasons why I’m not (overly) concerned about the Steelers backup QB situation.

Ben is (fairly) durable

I had to toss “fairly” in there, based on last season.

Prior to 2015, Ben played in all 16 games in both 2013 and 2014. Casual fans couldn’t name who the Steelers backup quarterbacks were.

I expect Ben to play in all 16 again this season, for several reasons as well:

Todd Haley’s system

Big Ben has missed a total of 7 games since Haley’s system was installed in 2012. Even the league’s most durable QB, Aaron Rodgers, has missed the same amount of time during that period.

Haley’s scheme is setup to keep Ben upright, and healthy, something that had mostly happened for the last few years.

Offensive Line

Of course, the reason Ben was injured early last season was due to a mix-and-match offensive line, which still did a tremendous job overall. All-Pro center Maurkice Pouncey was hurt in the preseason, and replaced with Cody Wallace: Wallace graded out as a bottom 5 center by Pro Football Focus, while Pouncey was a top 5 center the year prior.

It was Wallace’s missed block in which Ben was hurt during the Rams game in week 3 of last season, while other fill-ins did their best to keep the QB on his own two feet during the remainder of the year. Pouncey returns this year, while the Steelers obtained a free agent swing tackle in Ryan Harris, and drafted a future prospect with tackle Jerald Hawkins, who could be molded by Hall of Famer and offensive line coach Mike Munchak.

In other words, Ben’s protection should be even better this year, than last.

Our backups

The Steelers backups won games; how many, depends on how you want to use statistics.

Michael Vick entered the St. Louis Rams game in the 3rd quarter, and staved them off en route to a Steelers win (Ben being the starter, received credit for the victory.)

Vick would lose against the Ravens in OT (in part to two missed field goals by Josh Scobee) while leading Pittsburgh to a last-second win over the Chargers (with help from Le’Veon Bell.)

Vick would get credit for a win against Arizona, though he too would leave, and be replaced in the 3rd quarter (this time by Landry Jones.) Jones would struggle, and lose, against the Chiefs the following week, while he would get credit for a win when Roethlisberger came in as the backup against the Browns.

Landry also held off the Raiders, in a shootout at Heinz Field, when Big Ben would get banged up again.

While the backup situation looks bleak on paper, the Steelers still find a way to end up on the right side of .500.

Surrounding cast

The Steelers still win because of a stellar supporting cast of players: Antonio Brown, Le’Veon Bell, DeAngelo Williams, and many others take the team on their shoulders with a “next man up” mentality.

With a defensive rebirth planned in 2016, we could see that side of the ball win games as they’ve traditionally done throughout Steelers history.

Backups around the league

We’ve seen what happens when players like Tony Romo and Andrew Luck go down: those teams are helpless.

Without the supporting cast mentioned above, these teams need a strong backup QB to make up for other shortcomings.

Also consider, not only are those backups lackluster, but other teams still do not have a strong starting quarterback. If competing clubs had a good backup, that player wouldn’t be a backup.

People may say “I only care about what the Steelers do,” but that flies in the face of there being 31 other teams, all trying to one-up each other.

Getting another QB

Tony Romo is 36. Tom Brady is 39.

Their careers are winding down, whereas, the Ben Roethlisberger, age 34, is still in his prime, with (hopefully) several years left in the league. That’s why the Steelers passed on drafting a quarterback this year: if you notice what happened in Denver, their heir apparent (Brock Osweiller) played out his rookie contract, and left for a richer contract. With Peyton Manning retiring, the team was left without their future Hall of Fame quarterback AND their young prospect.

Not an ideal situation by any means; so the Steelers are still a year or two away from even contemplating a future heir to the Roethlisberger empire. I personally feel it’s great the Steelers are being patient for the right player to come along: like other positions, they are not forcing an issue which doesn’t need to be addressed at this time.

Even the aforementioned Dak Prescott was taken because Romo probably won’t see 40 in the NFL. It was a smart move by the Cowboys, who could see Prescott getting signed to an extension, should he assume the starting role within the next few years.

Hence, Landry Jones is not the future in Pittsburgh. He’s merely a backup, and may not even be a Steeler next season. I know many people want to make a fuss about Jones’ performance in the preseason games, and compare him with Prescott (who has been outstanding) but the comparison is apples-to-oranges. Prescott has been playing with starters such as WR Dez Bryant and RB Alfred Morris: this would be akin to Jones having Antonio Brown and DeAngelo Williams on the field with him.

Of course Prescott should look better!

As for the other options, Bruce Gradkowski is the consummate journeyman backup, with the experience and knowledge necessary to operate the offense. With Bruce’s health in question, the Steelers camp arm, Dustin Vaughan, was given an opportunity to show his ability, before fracturing a bone in his thumb.

To address the injuries, the Steelers added Bryn Renner: he is now on his fifth NFL roster in 3 seasons. Many will speculate why the Steelers don’t add a “better” quarterback, but Renner represents the “best that’s left” of a scrap heap of quarterbacks. (I also doubt how much Renner will get to play in the final two exhibition games.)

There could be a roster casualty at the end of the preseason, but that player will still have to fit under the salary cap, and learn the Steelers system on the fly (much like Vick did last year.)

This is why the team is standing pat on making any other major moves. They have finally found themselves out of a salary cap hole, something necessary to hopefully resign their own stars such as Le’Veon Bell, Lawrence Timmons and David DeCastro, next offseason. Even a cheap signing such as the Bears acquisition of Brian Hoyer, represents a cost of at least double more than what the team is paying Gradkowski this season, or Vick last season.

Conclusion

It’s highly unlikely the Steelers make a major splash, such as a trade, to acquire another quaterback this year. Unlike other teams, they are set with their main signal caller, and like other teams, the ship could sink without it’s captain.

Therefore too much has been made of the backup situation this offseason. We’re not ready to send Ben out to pasture, and we should stop trying to: if he were to get hurt, yes, the team could be in trouble, but that could be said of anyone. No NFL team is going to magically hit the backup QB lottery with their other options. The best you can do is ride the wave, and hope that the players you’ve prepared to date, can accomplish what’s necessary when their number is called.

Based on last season, the Steelers are as prepared for their “next man up,” as anyone. We should support them, just as the team does.