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There’s a key point to the Steelers’ acquisition of quarterback Zach Mettenberger Wednesday. They didn’t sign a free agent. He was picked up off waivers, like so many errant Mettenberger passes. That means he’s still on his rookie contract, the one with another year past this one on it.

Landry Jones, a 2013 draft pick, is a free agent after this season.

Those looking for Mettenberger’s acquisition to spell the end of Jones, it appears you must wait at least one more season. But that appears to be at least sort of the plan in Pittsburgh.

Mettenberger was 2-for-8 this preseason with the Chargers, taking as many sacks as completions. He hasn’t exactly shined at any point in his career. Some might even argue he’s little more than a taller Jones. And that begs the question why the team would pick him up off waivers.

Ross Cockrell is slated to start at cornerback, opposite Will Gay, in Week 1. Cockrell was a target of the team in the 2014 NFL draft. The Bills swiped him in the fourth round, ahead of the Steelers. The team had him slotted as a fourth-round pick and they wouldn’t take him earlier.

Pity, too, considering they drafted Dri Archer just a few spots before it.

The Bills released Cockrell last season and the Steelers allowed him to go through waivers before picking him up. Cockrell barely played his rookie season, thus suggesting they were enamored enough by the cornerback from Duke during the draft process. That process included the aforementioned visit with the team, a visit at the East/West Shrine Game and at his Pro Day.

One could argue Mettenberger plays the most valuable position in sports, thus, a waiver claim, as opposed to waiting, makes some sense. But the Steelers are in the bottom third of the list for waivers (teams are slotted in worst-to-first order based on last year’s record). It wouldn’t seem likely a former sixth-round pick who’s now looking to latch onto his third team in as many seasons would generate much heat in waivers.

A fourth-round cornerback who ended up drafted by a team that changed coaches and defensive philosophies between his rookie and second season might generate a claim as well. Apparently not.

The signing gives the Steelers what they previously did not have — a quarterback not named “Ben” on their depth chart after the 2016 season. Considering Jones is the back-up now, and Mettenberger has the entire season to learn the offense, it seems like the team, at the very least, is making an early move to insure themselves against having to re-sign Jones in the offseason.