Ben Roethlisberger hinted earlier this offseason that he might retire, and while it's not happening in 2017, the Steelers need a contingency plan for when the day finally arrives.

In the days and weeks leading up to the NFL Draft, there was speculation that the Steelers might look for Big Ben's replacement early in the proceedings; names like DeShone Kizer and Davis Webb showed up in mock drafts. But PIttsburgh passed on those players to address other needs (Kizer went to the Browns in Round 2, Webb went to the Browns in Round 3). 

They didn't wait much longer to find talent at the position. In the fourth round, the Steelers selected Tennessee quarterback Joshua Dobbs, who joins Big Ben and 2013 fourth-rounder Landry Jones on the depth chart.

NFLDraftScout.com's Spencer Hall gives the Steelers a grade of C+ ,noting, "A long-term developmental project at QB who is very intelligent and a coach's dream off the field. Inconsistent mechanics, accuracy and decision-making will lead to him sitting and learning behind Big Ben until he hangs them up."

And Dane Brugler adds: "The lack of consistency will likely keep him from being anything more than a developmental option in the NFL, but his intangibles and physical traits will appeal to some NFL teams."

The takeaway: Dobbs is a developmental project likely headed for a backup role. If he becomes more than that, great, but he's not Roethlisberger's replacement. What it does mean, however, is that the Steelers will almost certainly move on from Zach Mettenberger.

But hey, Steelers fans can dream:

Either way, this might be our favorite draft-tweet profile on Dobbs: