The Pittsburgh Steelers added some quarterback insurance this offseason when the team decided to bring back quarterback Mason Rudolph on a two-year deal worth $7.5 million.
The move was celebrated by Steelers fans, who, at the very least, see Rudolph as a top-flight backup and possible a fringe starter after the heroics he pulled in 2023.
However, Sam Trachtman of Yardbarker was not a fan of the move and called it the Steelers’ most head-scratching decision of the offseason. Here’s why:
“There’s nothing wrong with bringing back Rudolph, a solid backup, on a two-year, $8 million deal,” he wrote. “Still, this move is emblematic of the franchise’s recent problems at quarterback, where they haven’t had strong play since Ben Roethlisberger’s prime.
“An offseason flirtation with Aaron Rodgers didn’t add confidence that the team’s quarterback issues would be addressed in 2025.”
The problem wasn’t the Steelers bringing Rudolph back, which was a wise idea to give them some depth at the most important position.
The problem is that the Steelers might have to rely on Rudolph as the starter, given the fact that the Steelers have put all their eggs in the Aaron Rodgers basket and he has yet to make a decision and could still retire.
Waiting this long on Rodgers and allowing all the best quarterback options to come off the market is much more head-scratching than simply signing Rudolph.
If Rodgers doesn’t sign, the Steelers could bring in a veteran option like Kirk Cousins via trade, but head coach Mike Tomlin has praised Rudolph to the point that it remains possible the Steelers could just stick with him.
“That’s why we brought him back,” Tomlin said of Rudolph. “I’m comfortable with that (Rudolph starting). We’ve been there before. He’s a very capable guy.”
What Rudolph did for the Steelers near the end of the 2023 campaign was great, but this idea that Pittsburgh has a chance to compete for anything significant with him as the starter is just misguided.
Rudolph is a good backup who can keep the ship afloat in place of an injured starter for a few games, nothing more. There is no question that Rodgers gives the Steelers the better chance to win, even at this late stage in his career.
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