The first day of the 2024 NFL Combine brought forth all sorts of quarterback questions, and with the Pittsburgh Steelers likely going to address the position, there was interest among Steelers fans about news related to Russell Wilson, Justin Fields, and Kirk Cousins. But Pittsburgh isn’t likely to bring in a big name, and ESPN’s Bill Barnwell thinks it’s “likely” that the team brings back pending free-agent Mason Rudolph.
“Rudolph’s brief burst of production was out of line with his prior career performance, and he is likely to re-sign with the Steelers,” Barnwell wrote in an article ranking the free agent quarterbacks.
Rudolph and former Steeler Mitch Trubisky, who the team cut a few weeks ago, were listed in Barnwell’s sixth-tier, which was “backups likely to earn a roster spot.” Rudolph started Pittsburgh’s last three regular-season games and their playoff opener against the Buffalo Bills and played as good as any Steelers’ quarterback in the last two seasons. If Pittsburgh brings Rudolph back, he’ll be given the opportunity to compete with Kenny Pickett, who he started over at the end of the season, for the Week 1 starter job.
Bringing back Rudolph has always seemed like the most likely scenario, as he won’t be super expensive, and he has familiarity with the team. If Pittsburgh doesn’t bring Rudolph back, an option like Ryan Tannehill, who played his best football under offensive coordinator Arthur Smith with the Tennessee Titans, seems much more likely than making a splash and going after Wilson or trading for Fields.
With free agency kicking off in two weeks, we’ll finally have some clarity on Pittsburgh’s quarterback situation. Given Mike Tomlin’s comments that Kenny Pickett will be the starter going into offseason workouts and training camp but will have competition, bringing in someone like Wilson or Fields, who would automatically be a starter, doesn’t fit what Pittsburgh seemingly wants to do. Cousins would also fit that same bill, but the Minnesota Vikings seem keen on bringing him back, which would make sense for both parties.
While it’s not splashy and likely wouldn’t appease a portion of the fanbase, Rudolph coming back makes sense for him and the Steelers. He won’t have many opportunities to compete to start if he signs elsewhere, and he performed well enough at the end of the season that the Steelers should give him another chance to compete with Pickett and try to bring him back. It’s always felt like the most likely outcome, and we’ll see in a few weeks if Barnwell is right about it occurring.
