Steelers Sign Quarterback, Release Devlin Hodges

Devlin-Hodges-Steelers

Getty Pittsburgh Steelers QB Devlin Hodges during a game against the Baltimore Ravens in 2019.

On Saturday the Pittsburgh Steelers established their 53-man roster for 2020 in the wake of a series of roster cuts. Today that roster already looks different.

On Sunday the Steelers announced that they have signed quarterback Josh Dobbs and released third-string QB Devlin ‘Duck’ Hodges.

Dobbs became available when he was released by the Jacksonville Jaguars on Saturday September 5.

If you recall, the Steelers traded Dobbs to Jacksonville for a fifth-round draft pick after week one last season, but he never saw any action with the Jaguars. Now they get him back without giving up any assets.

Dobbs served as Ben Roethlisberger’s backup in 2018, completing six of 12 passes for 43 yards and an interception. He also rushed four times for 11 yards.

Dobbs played his college football at the University of Tennessee and was selected by the Steelers in the fourth round of the 2017 NFL Draft, the same class that produced outside linebacker T.J. Watt, wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster and running back James Conner.

He graduated with an aerospace engineering degree from Tennessee and during this past offseason he took part in a NASA externship program at Kennedy Space Center in Florida.


The Devlin ‘Duck’ Hodges Era in Pittsburgh

As for Devlin Hodges, the Steelers signed him last spring as an undrafted free agent out of Samford University in Alabama.

NFL observers have long wondered when Pittsburgh would address its backup QB situation, which had been described as one of the biggest roster holes in the NFL.

Hodges appeared in eight games for the Steelers during his rookie year and posted a record of 3-3 in his six starts. He completed 100 of 160 passes for 1,063 yards with five touchdowns and eight interceptions for a passer rating of 71.4.

It remains to be seen if the Steelers attempt to sign Devlin Hodges to their practice squad for purposes of serving as an emergency quarterback.


Safety Sean Davis Rejoins Steelers

In other roster news from today, the Steelers also announced that they have signed safety Sean Davis, who left Pittsburgh during this past offseason in free agency, getting a one-year, $5 million contract with the Washington Football Team. It’s a contract that included a $2 million signing bonus. Davis became available when Washington released him on Saturday.

Davis came to the Steelers via the 2016 NFL Draft. He was Pittsburgh’s second-round pick, the 58th player taken overall, out of the University of Maryland. He started 41 of 48 games during his four years in Pittsburgh. But he suffered a shoulder injury in week two last year versus the Seattle Seahawks and was placed on the reserve/injured list.

Davis has recorded 247 career tackles, including 11 tackles for loss, five interceptions and 2.5 sacks. Davis won the Joe Greene Great Performance Award in 2016, given annually to the team’s top rookie.

The Steelers are expected to announce the players on their 2020 practice squad late on Sunday afternoon.

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