**Player: QB Mason Rudolph**
**Stock Value: Up**
**Reasoning:** _Through one week of OTAs, Mason Rudolph is still the Steelers’ starting quarterback, and to some, looking the part. While most still anticipate Aaron Rodgers signing, Rudolph has acquitted himself well in the interim. He has said all the right things, and through one week of OTAs, has drawn positive reviews from reporters._
It’s unlikely, I think, that Mason Rudolph is the Steelers’ starting quarterback Week 1. I do think that Aaron Rodgers signing remains the most likely, and they may pivot to Kirk Cousins otherwise. But given where we are, the veteran reserve has handled his time at the top of the hypothetical depth chart with aplomb.
I don’t think I’ve seen a single person have anything but praise when talking about Mason Rudolph and how he has handled the Steelers’ quarterback situation around the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex. While that is likely what we expect of him at this point of his career, it’s always good to show it.
Rudolph has also embraced the opportunity to be the veteran in the room, something he also experienced in Tennessee last year with Will Levis. Now he has rookie Will Howard, and he has not shied away from giving him pointers and helping him along. Even if he doesn’t end up starting, it’s clear that the locker room sees him as something of a leader.
Even if Rodgers does sign, Mason Rudolph is still the quarterback the Steelers know. He is the Charlie Batch of this era, a backup who has near-universal respect. Indeed, he has so much respect that many people want to see him start.
The longer Rodgers takes and the more public appearances he makes, the more it seems that Rudolph starting for the Steelers is a possibility. It’s still a distant one, to my mind, but this is still Aaron Rodgers we’re talking about. He could be trekking across the world in a pontoon by this time next month for all we know.
_With the new league year underway and the Steelers turning their roster over, it’s once again time to “take stock”. It took a while, but we finally saw some of that_ [_change the team talked about_](https://steelersdepot.com/2025/02/steelers-make-their-coaching-changes-they-still-manage-to-disappoint/) _after the season ended. Certainly, the move to trade for WR DK Metcalf qualifies as a change, not to mention the accompanying contract._
_There is still a long way to go before we know what this Steelers team is going to look like. The dust is settled on both free agency and_ [_the 2025 NFL Draft_](https://www.nfl.com/draft/)_. What other moves might the team make, perhaps unexpected acquisitions or departures? If they traded for one player, they could certainly trade for another, or trade one away. This is a Steelers team starving for postseason success, but how desperate are they for a playoff win in 2025?_