LATROBE, Pa. (AP) - The Pittsburgh Steelers plan to get a closer look at their two most recent draft picks at quarterback.
Rookie third-round pick Mason Rudolph and Josh Dobbs, Pittsburgh’s fourth-round selection in 2017, will see all of the playing time when the Steelers visit the Green Bay Packers for their second preseason game on Thursday.
“They’re going to play exclusively,” Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said. “(We) haven’t detailed the division of labor, but those two guys will be featured.”
On Tuesday, Tomlin ruled out veterans Ben Roethlisberger and Landry Jones for the game. The announcement came before Roethlisberger left Tuesday’s training camp practice with a possible concussion.
“Ben Roethlisberger sustained a hit today in practice,” Tomlin said through a team spokesman after practice. “He is being evaluated as part of the concussion protocol.”
Roethlisberger was face down on the turf, surrounded by his teammates, after throwing a touchdown pass to JuJu Smith-Schuster during a best-of-seven competitive 2-point conversion drill between the offense and defense.
Roethlisberger was helped to his feet and sat on a water cooler with a towel over his head as practice continued. He touched his head several times and eventually walked off the field under his own power with trainers and team doctors.
Right guard Marcus Gilbert said Roethlisberger rolled out and ran into him as he blocked linebacker Keion Adams.
“It didn’t look too pretty,” Gilbert said. “But when he got up he seemed to be a little bit better. That’s my guy. I wouldn’t want to see anything happen to him, especially in a practice like this.”
Center Maurkice Pouncey was optimistic about Roethlisberger’s injury.
“No one really saw it, but I think he hit his head,” Pouncey said. “We were all in a nervous situation, but he got up fine, he looked totally good, and he walked off the field.”
Tomlin praised Roethlisberger’s work at training camp Tuesday morning.
“He’s been really sharp, not only in terms of what he does, but just how he’s communicating and helping in aiding the development of some people that are going to work alongside him,” Tomlin said. “It’s been a very positive experience.”
Rudolph and Dobbs both ended practice with touchdown passes during the two-minute drill. Rudolph, the former Oklahoma State star, said he is anxious to see additional playing time on Thursday.
“I’m going to be preparing to play well and execute our plan,” Rudolph said. “We have a great plan for Green Bay, and whenever my number’s called, I plan to go out and execute.”
Tomlin also announced Tuesday that outside linebacker Bud Dupree is out of concussion protocol and will play Thursday against Green Bay. Dupree practiced in full on Tuesday for the first time since sustaining his concussion on Aug. 3.
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