Of the 17 Pittsburgh Steelers’ free agents set to see hit the open market in March, very few fall into the “must re-sign” category.
Sure, names like long snapper Christian Kuntz, special teams ace Miles Killebrew, and veteran outside linebacker Markus Golden are guys you’d like to have back on affordable deals, especially Killebrew, but you’re not breaking the bank for those types of players.
That said, one player the Steelers might have to break the bank for after stating publicly that they want him back is veteran quarterback Mason Rudolph.
Rudolph, as is well-known, went on quite a run late in the season, leading the Steelers to three straight wins, helping them get into the playoffs. He then performed relatively well in the Wild Card loss to the Buffalo Bills, though he did throw a crucial interception in the end zone.
Head coach Mike Tomlin and team president and owner Art Rooney II have stated that they want him back, but it’s up to Rudolph if he wants to return. That makes the decision surrounding Rudolph the Steelers’ biggest re-signing decision of the offseason, according to ESPN’s Brooke Pryor.
“After not receiving much interest from the rest of the NFL last offseason, Rudolph wound up back in Pittsburgh on a one-year deal. He should field quite a few calls this time around after turning in solid performances in three regular-season starts and against the Bills in the playoffs, throwing five touchdown passes to one interception,” Pryor writes. “He finished the regular season with a 70.6 QBR, significantly better than Kenny Pickett (38.2) and Mitch Trubisky (34.5). While Mike Tomlin said Pickett will resume his status as QB1, the coach also said he wanted Pickett to be challenged, and Tomlin expressed a desire to continue doing business with Rudolph.
“The Steelers’ entire quarterback room is in flux, and the front office will have to decide if — or how — to include Rudolph in the team’s future plans.”
Based on how the offseason has gone so far and the Steelers’ public desire to have Rudolph return and provide that competition for Pickett, it sure feels like Rooney, Tomlin and the Steelers will give GM Omar Khan the backing to do whatever it takes to secure the veteran’s services once again.
But as stated earlier, it will be Rudolph’s decision. Does he want to return to Pittsburgh, a team where he sat on the bench as the QB3 for nearly two full seasons between starts before going on the run late in the season? Will he want to return and be in another “competition” with Pickett throughout the offseason and into training camp and the preseason? He’s seen how that has gone before.
What about the price? Rudolph seemingly made himself quite a bit of money in the final four games of the season. He should have plenty of offers in free agency this time around. Will the Steelers be able to match some of those offers? Time will tell.
There is no doubt about it though: Rudolph’s re-signing decision is the biggest one the Steelers will face this offseason, at least from their own player personnel standpoint.
