Mason Rudolph will determine the future of the Steelers quarterback.
The Pittsburgh Steelers’ 2023 season will come to an end at some point in the next four weeks, and they will once more have to make some important decisions at the most important position on the squad.
Even though Kenny Pickett is their quarterback for the next two seasons and possibly beyond, they urgently need a backup who can step in as a starter right away. Pickett is still in the early stages of his career and hasn’t played a full season yet.
That might be Mason Rudolph, but given how inconsistent the Steelers have been with him, it wouldn’t be shocking if he walked away from them.
This is assuming Mike Tomlin promises a real quarterback competition this offseason, which would break his heart. Potentially, the chance to secure the first job could entice him back.
But none of this is guaranteed until months from now, depending on Rudolph’s actions. If he jumps, the Steelers will need to bring in not one, but two quarterbacks (if they cut Mitch Trubisky…).
“It all is going to hinge on what Rudolph does,” The Athletic’s Mark Kaboly wrote. It is true that they will need to add someone if Rudolph left as a free agent, but I don’t see it challenging Pickett for the starting job. You must believe me when I say that Pickett will receive all of the doubt as a first-round pick and probably should. Where the Steelers screwed up was by bringing back Matt Canada in January, starting what has snowballed into the belief that Pickett is a bust.”
Rudolph will want to explore the free-agent market for himself. For the first time in his career, he also has leverage because of the value of a backup that can compete with starters.
It couldn’t have occurred at a better time for Rudolph’s future, even though he seems like a kind man and reliable teammate. Pickett’s injury and the disastrous Trubisky Experiment He entered the game with little to no quality reps since 2019 and did well enough to win games and maintain their hopes of winning a Lombardi Trophy, regardless of what transpires in the postseason. Teams in high demand of such a player will pay top bucks for his services; throughout his six-year career, he has not yet experienced this luxury.
