The Steelers’ quarterbacks room is already set to appear a bit exceptional after the predicted current departure of Mitch Trubisky.
According to Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, the group is hoping that it won’t alternate a good deal greater as they purpose to hold backup quarterback Mason Rudolph shifting forward.
Unlike Trubisky, Rudolph’s feasible exit is a result of free agency. A former third-round draft pick in 2018, Rudolph has performed out his rookie contract plus two one-year extensions. The Steelers grew to become to Rudolph early in his career, when he started out eight games in 2019, but he hasn’t viewed that many begins in the 4 years since.
When common starter Ben Roethlisberger went down with an damage in 2019, Rudolph led Pittsburgh to 5 wins in eight starts. After a physical on-field scuffle with Browns protecting cease Myles Garrett, for the duration of which Garrett accused him of the use of a racial slur, and a negative overall performance the following week, Rudolph was benched in prefer of Devlin Hodges. He wouldn’t begin any other recreation till a relaxation day for the starters at the cease of the 2020 season and once again as a COVID-19 alternative for Roethlisberger in 2021.
He would spend the whole 2022 season on the bench after being relegated to third-string obligations at the back of Trubisky and then-rookie Kenny Pickett.
This year, Rudolph saw his first extended action in 4 years. With the Steelers’ season circling the drain as one of the league’s least efficient offenses, Rudolph sooner or later found his way to the field. With Pickett sidelined with injury, Trubisky was once in for a start towards the Colts in Week 14. Rudolph stepped in due to Trubisky’s struggles and would begin the subsequent two games as to new No. two behind an injured PickettWhen Pickett was once cleared to play in a must-win regular-season finale against the Ravens, though, Pittsburgh opted to trip with Rudolph.
Led through Rudolph, the Steelers beat the in most cases second-string Ravens and made the playoffs. Rudolph was as soon as again chosen as the team’s starter when they traveled to Buffalo for a Wild Card game against the Bills.
Rudolph’s late-season success had many asking the apparent question: why didn’t Pittsburgh flip to him sooner with all its struggles on offense throughout the year? Apparently, according to Dulac, that same sentiment has brought on some interior division within the Steelers’ organization, growing a camp that believes Rudolph must be the starter when the 2024 season opens.
In order to make that happen, though, the group will have to discover a way to re-sign him, which seems to be their goalWith Rudolph and Pickett seen as the desired contenders for the position, Dulac reviews that the Steelers “are not fascinated in bringing in a quarterback who needs to be a starter.” That guidelines Pittsburgh out of the race for quarterbacks who are apparently handy like Justin Fields, Kirk Cousins, or even maybe Russell Wilson.
It probable regulations out a high-end rookie passer like Caleb Williams, Drake Maye, or Jayden Daniels, as well. They might also move to add some solid, veteran backup depth at the position, but with Pickett already underneath contract, the aim, for now, is to lock down Rudolph, as well