Reporter: Quarterback's future with Steelers 'up in the air'

Pittsburgh Steelers insider Brooke Pryor of ESPN explained during an appearance on the latest edition of the "Two on OSU" podcast why quarterback Mason Rudolph may head elsewhere as a free agent this spring rather than re-sign with Pittsburgh and work with recently-hired offensive coordinator Arthur Smith. 

"At this point, I think it's kind of up in the air," Pryor said about Rudolph's future, as shared by Josh Carney of Steelers Depot. "I'm so intrigued to see what the Steelers do because I think that they would like to bring Mason Rudolph back, but I don't know how Mason fits in Arthur Smith's new system. I'm interested to see if Mason wants an opportunity to prove himself somewhere else..."

Rudolph mostly served as a backup with the Steelers from 2020 through the 2022 campaign but was called into action late this past season when 2022 first-round draft pick Kenny Pickett was sidelined with an ankle injury and Mitchell Trubisky had failed to impress. The 2018 third-round draft choice then kept Pickett a spectator as he won three straight starts to guide Pittsburgh to a playoff berth. 

According to ESPN stats, Rudolph's 118.0 regular-season passer rating would've been good for the highest in the NFL if he was among qualified players. His 70.6 adjusted QBR would've had him ranked third in that category. 

The Steelers have repeatedly been linked in stories this winter with signal-callers such as Kirk Cousins of the Minnesota Vikings and Justin Fields of the Chicago Bears. Such rumors theoretically could cause Rudolph to believe he'd receive a better chance to play this fall with a different club. 

"So it wouldn't surprise me if it's a situation where the Steelers want Mason and Mason doesn't want the Steelers because he'd like to, I think, get kind of a bearing on what else is out there and prove that he can be an NFL quarterback without maybe some of the politics of Pittsburgh of trying to jump-start their first-round quarterback," Pryor added. 

The 2023 Steelers went 10-7 without having elite quarterback play throughout the campaign, so it's understandable those in the organization's front office may believe an upgrade at the sport's most important position could turn Pittsburgh into a legitimate contender for next season. The harsh truth of the matter is that Rudolph likely isn't that upgrade regardless of what he feels about his abilities.