Charlie Batch Signs One Year Deal With Steelers For 2012

Old Faithful – aka Charlie Batch – reportedly signed a one year deal with the Steelers.  Batch joins the Steelers for the 10th straight season.  For those of you who are surprised with this move, the only backup QB of the Steelers to see action during the regular season obviously did not impress upon you.

Batch was an obvious choice to bring back, and will be until his legs or arms fall off.  If there ever was a ‘master’ backup QB, he would certainly win honors for that title.  Batch consistently steps into the back up role year in and year out and steps onto that field with poise.  1st quarter or 4th quarter. 10 points down or 14 point lead.  It doesn’t matter.  Batch can crouch behind center and manage an offense effectively.  And really, isn’t that all any team can ask for in a back up?  A game manager.  To try and ask for more is… well…. asking for a starting QB, not a backup QB.  And, no team will pay the money to have a starter sit on the bench all season.

Dixon and Leftwich are high risk athletes because they can’t stay healthy for more than a month.  The Steelers should save a ton in health insurance with those two gone.  All joking aside, the Steelers will probably look for a #3 QB late in the draft now that they have decided to keep Batch.  We likely won’t see the other two and maybe, just maybe Troy Smith might prove some worth when camp rolls around.

This is just another good signing by the Steelers in a usually quiet offseason.  They will trust the draft with getting linemen to protect Ben and potentially nab a high value QB late in the rounds.  Another start to the work week for Colbert and Co., and another sound decision by this franchise.  Let me just lean back in my mid-back desk chair and enjoy this one – I like Batch, and if he were to hit the field this upcoming season for whatever reasons, I’m confident the offense is in good hands.  Welcome back, Charlie.