When the Pittsburgh Steelers re-signed quarterback Mason Rudolph, the team ensured that they would have a reliable backup and third-string quarterback behind second-year QB Kenny Pickett. In a recent ranking by Pro Football Network, both Rudolph and second-string quarterback Mitch Trubisky ranked among the top-32 backups in the NFL. Trubisky came in as the 14th-best backup quarterback, while Rudolph placed at No. 31.
In addition to the rankings, PFN labeled the quarterbacks by category. Category one was “Exciting, but inconsistent,” category two was “bus driver,” category three was “young unknown,” while category four was “Carson Wentz(s).” Both Trubisky and Rudolph fell under the bus driver category, an apt placement given what they’ve shown in their careers so far.
Both Trubisky and Rudolph have shown that with a solid team around them, they can win you games. It might not be pretty, but they can do just enough to lead a team to victory if they’re starting at quarterback. Trubisky has a greater history of success, leading the Chicago Bears to a 12-4 season with him going 11-3 as a starter with a playoff appearance in 2018.
But neither Trubisky or Rudolph are particularly exciting options. You know what you’re gonna get out of them, and it’s average to below-average quarterback play. With a good team around them, you can take a few games but you’re not winning any meaningful games or going to the Super Bowl. Rudolph helped the Steelers to a .500 season in 2019, going 5-3 as a starter with a modest 13 touchdowns to nine interceptions. That’s about the quality of play you can expect out of Trubisky or Rudolph if they’re forced into action in 2023.
And for the Steelers, that’s really not the worst-case scenario. They’re a team that’s going to rely on their defense and run game in 2023, and while Pickett is obviously the much better option, the Steelers’ floor of 6-7 wins is probably around the same with either Trubisky or Rudolph. The ceiling is much higher with Pickett, and with him leading the charge the Steelers are a team that can and probably should win a playoff game. You can’t say the same for Trubisky or Rudolph, which is why they’re backups.
But in the case that Pickett gets injured, the Steelers are in a better situation than a lot of teams in the league. It’s never ideal to have to play a backup, but if the Steelers are forced into that situation, the season won’t totally crater. That’s really all you can ask for from most backups, and Pittsburgh did a good job bringing Rudolph back while extending Trubisky to lower his cap number for 2023.
In the end, I’m hoping neither Trubisky or Rudolph play a snap unless it’s a meaningless game or Pittsburgh is blowing a team out. But I’m definitely comfortable with their quarterback situation, and Omar Khan did a good job making sure the bottom won’t fall out if something happens to Pickett.
