Pittsburgh Steelers 2019 third-round pick Mason Rudolph looked prime for a fresh start somewhere else in 2023. Back in February, reports stated that the former Oklahoma State quarterback wanted nothing to do with Pittsburgh and that he was looking for a better chance elsewhere. He had a potential opportunity through a former high school teammate to maybe find his way to the Atlanta Falcons, but with Taylor Heinicke signing on, that ship likely sailed. Now officially back in Pittsburgh, Rudolph might get the chance according to one team insider to do what was reported back in February as his condition for staying.
According to Mark Kaboly of The Athletic, Rudolph felt he'd earned the backup role out of camp and should've gotten the nod over Mitch Trubisky to start for an injured Kenny Pickett against the Carolina Panthers in Week 15. While he had other opportunities, according to Kaboly, Pittsburgh was the best of the bunch and he still could have the chance to earn the backup role. Trubisky acted as the Steelers' insurance against "a need to do something stupid," last offseason according to Head Coach Mike Tomlin, but Kaboly thinks it could be smart for the organization to toss its expensive 2022 security blanket over board.
"Trubisky is entrenched in as the No. 2, and Pittsburgh seems fine with him at that spot," he said. "But this is a business, and if the Steelers can save money by having Rudolph as their backup and Tanner Morgan as their No. 3, they wouldn’t hesitate to do that."
Kaboly said it would probably take a monster showing in the preseason and OTA's for the Steelers brass to consider updating the depth chart behind Pickett. In the 2022 preseason, split between three games, Rudolph completed 26 of 39 passes for 220 yards with no interceptions and a pair of touchdowns, including a dime to George Pickens in the back corner of the endzone. Contrast that to Trubisky, who went 24 of 34 for 283 yards also adding two passing scores and no picks.
In Kaboly's estimation, without the internal politics of the situation, there was a case that Rudolph was the best quarterback of the three back in August 2022 and deserved a better fate than getting no snaps during the year. If he can show what he did last year or even improve on it, Kaboly thinks he's a perfectly capable QB2.
Why The Steelers Should Move Away From Trubisky
The biggest reason the Steelers would move on from the former Buffalo Bills and Chicago Bears signal-caller is money. The Steelers will be looking to lock up Alex Highsmith after he broke out in 2022 with the absence of TJ Watt during part of the season and need all the financial flexibility they can get. The veteran writer notes that "Trubisky is set to make $10.625 million in 2023. If he is released, the Steelers would save $8 million." The question is, do the Steelers feel comfortable with Rudolph being one Pickett injury away from being the starter and having to trust an undrafted rookie like Tanner Morgan as the backup.
Rudolph hasn't always been in the best situations since he was drafted. After a redshirt year in 2018, he was thrust into the starter's job and performed admirably before Earl Thomas got him with a vicious hit. As Kaboly notes, his stats through his first 9 games are not that far off from Pickett's. The Steelers' 2022 first-round pick completed 191/293 passes for 1,799 yards, three passing touchdowns, and eight interceptions. He also added three rushing scores. In contrast, Rudolph was 162/263 for 1,636 with 12 touchdowns and nine interceptions.
Would you trust a quarterback room of Pickett, Rudolph, and Morgan? Does it give you enough confidence to send Trubisky packing?
More must-reads: