By Teresa Varley
Steelers.com 

Quarterback Charlie Batch signed a one-year deal to remain with the Steelers and will compete for a job backing-up Ben Roethlisberger, along with veterans Tommy Maddox and Brian St. Pierre. 

             "Right now, the starting job's not an option for me," said Batch. "Obviously, the goal is to want to play, to make this as competitive as I can. It's going to make everybody better, and it's going to make Ben better, as well because he'll see the competition as us trying to take his job.

            “So, of course, he comes into this as the starter, no questions asked. And right now, it's three people fighting for two jobs -- me, Tommy and Brian."

           Batch is happy that he is getting the opportunity. He missed the 2004 season after suffering a knee injury during training camp and has been undergoing rehab since then. He doesn’t know if he will be able to competition the team’s mini-camp on May 6-8, but he hopes that he will.

            "It's a possibility, but I don't know," said Batch. "I'm supposed to be taking a Cybex test shortly to get an indication of where my strength is. I still have a lot of work ahead of me."

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            Rookie free agent John Kuhn, a running back from Shippensburg College, knows he has his work cut out for him making the Steelers, but he is willing to fight hard for a chance.

             "It's going to be an uphill battle, but it's certainly to my advantage to be able to recognize that right now," said Kuhn, who holds 27 school records at Shippensburg.

            "To make it from a smaller school is a long journey, but I believe in my heart that if I hammer away and put my nose in there, I can get it done."

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The Steelers drafted two players from Northwestern, offensive tackle Trai Essex in the third round and running back Noah Harrison in the seventh round. It has been 34 years since one team drafted two Northwestern players.