Does the Pittsburgh Steelers’ interest in QB Russell Wilson spell the end for Mason Rudolph?
For obvious reasons, the Steelers are not discussing their interest in free agent QB Russell Wilson publicly. On the same day that multiple sources reported their intention to meet him, general manager Omar Khan gave multiple interviews in which the subject never came up.
He did mention QB Mason Rudolph, however, and reiterated their interest in “continuing conversations”. To my ear, he sounded like a man who had reached an impasse. He knows they have nothing more to say until Rudolph has the opportunity to explore his market. But the Steelers can’t just sit on their hands and wait.
At the same time, their interest in Wilson isn’t necessarily a response to Rudolph. The Broncos only just recently cut ties, or announced their intentions to do so. Prior to that, he remained bound by his contract, and the Steelers weren’t going to trade for him. But now he’s free, and they can safely explore that option. Perhaps he’s their top choice to bring in with Kenny Pickett now.
We can say with relative certainty that both Russell Wilson and Mason Rudolph are not going to be on the team together this year. The Steelers could sign one, or they could sign the other, but they’re certainly not signing both. In the minds of each, the backup is the absolute worst-case scenario. And both of them want to start. Neither is open to the third quarterback role if they can at all avoid it.
So which option do they prefer at this point? Are they going in on Wilson now that he’s available, but keeping the door open for Rudolph? They know they’re not guaranteed to land Wilson. There are other teams who may offer more money or greater assurances of playing opportunities.
But who fits what the Steelers want to do on offense better? I don’t think either quarterback necessarily complements what Arthur Smith has done historically. But he also claims to build his offenses around his players. I trust the Steelers and believe Smith will adapt to whoever is under center and play to his strengths. They’ve clearly pitched to Wilson, but they presumably offered Rudolph a contract. Now that they’ve met with Wilson, where do they stand with Rudolph?
The Steelers’ 2023 season has been put out of its misery, ending as so many have before in recent years: a disappointing, blowout playoff loss. The only change-up lately is when they miss the playoffs altogether. But with the Buffalo Bills stamping them out in the Wildcard Round, they have another long offseason ahead.
The biggest question hanging over the team is the quarterback question. Is Kenny Pickett the guy? Will he get another season’s reprieve without a serious challenge? How will the team address the depth chart? Do they re-sign Mason Rudolph, one of few significant unrestricted free agents?
The Steelers are swirling with more questions this offseason than usual, frankly, though the major free agent list is less substantial than usual. It’s just a matter of…what happens next? Where do they go from here? How do they find the way forward?
