The Pittsburgh Steelers have reached an agreement with one of the more intriguing players in the 2008 draft, quarterback Dennis Dixon of Oregon.

Per the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, the fifth-rounder gets a three-year deal, which includes a $130,000 signing bonus.

Dixon is recovering from a torn ACL that derailed his quest for a potential Heisman Trophy, and his team’s search for a national championship.  Though some might regard Dixon as another Slash-style option in Pittsburgh, Dixon had impressive passing numbers last year before his injury, completing 67.7 percent of his passes for 8.4 yards per attempt, 20 touchdowns, and only four interceptions.

With Ben Roethlisberger likely having flashbacks to a certain Chrysler New Yorker as the team’s offensive line routinely collapses around him in 2008 (sorry, Steelers fans, but the handwriting is on the wall), Dixon could get a chance to play at some point if/when one of the opposing defenders puts Big Ben out of commission.

Though Dixon will most likely never supplant Roethlisberger, the Steelers could find themselves in a few years with the next Matt Schaub, who could be traded to another team for something far more valuable than the fifth-round pick they used to get him.  Meanwhile, the Steelers might have a backup option that inspires far more confidence in the fan base than does veteran journeyman Charlie Batch.

And, yeah, the Steelers might be able to find a way to get Dixon onto the field from time to time at a position other than quarterback — especially since he ran for 34 yards on two carries against Arizona, with a torn ACL.