As groups put together to unveil their 53-man rosters, there are a number of groups that would really like Mason Rudolph to be a part of that equation. The Steelers have acquired commerce requires Rudolph over the previous week, however they’ve no real interest in buying and selling him except the supply is just too good to show down, according to Mark Kaboly of The Athletic.
The Steelers reported reluctance to deal Rudolph is smart given that he’s the staff’s solely quarterback that has expertise inside offensive coordinator Matt Canada’s system. Rudolph additionally provides Pittsburgh coveted depth at arguably the league’s most necessary place.
Rudolph’s expertise is probably going the explanation why Steelers common supervisor Omar Khan lately stated that he does not anticipate any adjustments being made to Pittsburgh’s quarterback room earlier than the beginning of the common season.
“We really feel superb concerning the three quarterbacks,” Khan stated throughout a recent appearance on the “All Issues Coated” podcast with Patrick Peterson and Bryant McFadden. “Coach will determine how issues will shake out, however we be ok with the three guys we’ve got on the roster.”
The longest-tenured of the Steelers quarterbacks, Rudolph was 26 of 39 for 220 yards with two touchdowns this preseason whereas enjoying with Pittsburgh’s second- and third-team offenses. The fifth-year veteran and former third-round decide owns a 5-4-1 regular-season file as Pittsburgh’s beginning quarterback. He began the summer time because the Steelers’ No. 2 quarterback behind Mitchell Trubisky however has since moved behind rookie Kenny Pickett within the pecking order.
Whereas the Steelers’ quarterback competitors was billed as a three-man race, it seems that the job was Trubisky’s to lose after Pittsburgh inked him to a two-year deal in the beginning of free company. Rudolph’s odds at being Ben Roethlisberger’s alternative dropped additional after the staff chosen Pickett with the twentieth general decide in April’s draft.
Rudolph acquired little work with Pittsburgh’s first-team offense in the course of the ultimate levels of coaching camp. He relieved Trubisky within the Steelers’ first preseason game (throwing a landing cross to rookie George Pickens on his third play from scrimmage), then performed behind each Trubisky and Pickett in opposition to the Jaguars. Rudolph tried simply three passes in Pittsburgh’s preseason finale, a 19-9 win over the Lions.
The 76th general decide within the 2018 NFL Draft, Rudolph arrived in Pittsburgh after being a three-year starter at Oklahoma State, the place he threw 92 touchdowns in opposition to 26 interceptions. He threw for practically 5,000 yards as a senior whereas throwing 37 touchdowns in opposition to simply 9 interceptions. Rudolph’s favourite goal in school was James Washington, who was additionally a member of the Steelers’ 2018 rookie class.
Rudolph and Washington loved a profitable partnership in 2019, serving to the Steelers get off to an 8-5 begin regardless of shedding Roethlisberger to a season-ending harm in Week 2. A concussion sustained in opposition to the Ravens, nevertheless, appeared to have lingering results on Rudolph, who in the end misplaced his beginning job to Devlin Hodges late within the season. Rudolph nonetheless managed to go 5-3 that season because the Steelers completed with an 8-8 general file.
Rudolph began only one sport in every of the final two seasons. He threw for 315 yards with two touchdowns and an interception in a 24-22 loss to the Browns within the ultimate week of the 2020 season. Whereas he was spectacular in that sport, Rudolph was not at his greatest throughout his final begin, a 16-16 tie in opposition to the Lions in Week 10 of the 2021 season.
