Player: QB Mason Rudolph
Stock Value: Even
Reasoning: Since the draft, it’s hard to argue that Mason Rudolph’s status has shifted all that much, given what we know. Obviously, the addition of Drew Allar adds a numbers game to the quarterback position. It’s quite possible Rudolph will either be the Steelers’ backup or out of a job. And it’s likely he won’t have that many reps over the summer to help determine his own fate.
The Steelers will devote a lot of time this summer looking at young quarterbacks, which Mason Rudolph is not. Going into his ninth season, he is well established as the experienced veteran backup. No more than that, but also no less. He has a comfortable floor. The problem is, the Steelers have two young guys with higher ceilings.
Many break down the quarterback room pretty simply. If Will Howard convinces the coaching staff he can be the backup this year, Mason Rudolph is gone. Whether they simply release him or somebody opts to trade him, time will tell. Assuming, of course, we ever reach that scenario, which is not a guarantee.
What is guaranteed, barring injury, is that Howard and rookie Drew Allar will see far more playing time, both in training camp and the preseason, than will Rudolph. He’s already revealed, to nobody’s surprise, that the coaches have told him as much. Because of course they want to see the young potential future starters, not the backup they already know very well.
Now, of course, there’s Mark Kaboly, who insists that Mason Rudolph will be the backup because the Steelers believe they can win this year and there’s no possible way they would risk the season by letting an inexperienced quarterback like Will Howard be the backup. Never mind the fact that they already did that with Joshua Dobbs during Rudolph’s rookie season. And the Steelers were a much more plausible contender then than they are now.
But Mike McCarthy seems to have enjoys his time with Rudolph, which is always a good start. He may have even opened his new head coach’s eyes to his potential. That may play a factor as September rolls around, but for now, he’ll just have to watch his fate unfold.
With the 2026 offseason well underway and many moves made, we have stock to take. Already promisinga year of change, the Steelers are shaking things up. That is unavoidable, of course, when you gut the coaching staff. Mike Tomlin’s resignation has fundamentally changed this football team, including the players on the roster.
After a long season, the Steelers showed the ability to win the division and make the playoffs. But they also showed that their progress was minimal,since they made it no further. Two years in a row, with two different quarterbacks, they went 10-7 and lost in the Wild Card Round. The only differences are they ended the season on a higher note and won the AFC North. But it didn’t help.
Recommended for you