The Pittsburgh Steelers are in the middle of a waiting game, and it’s taking much longer than they’d like. With several options off the table, the Steelers currently find themselves waiting on Aaron Rodgers. Right now, their only option on the roster is Mason Rudolph. A portion of the fan base is panicking, which is understandable. But Steelers insider Gerry Dulac isn’t getting the same vibe from the team.
“I will tell you this, I have not gotten any sense of panic in the organization,” Dulac said on The Dan Patrick Show on Monday. “They [Steelers] feel, if need be, based on what they saw the last three games of the 2023 season from Mason Rudolph, that if he has to be your starter, then they will go along with that. All that being said, this is a team that always, always, always has two quarterbacks at the ready, two veterans. And so even if they don’t sign Aaron Rodgers, they have to bring in some type of quarterback with starting experience, veteran starting experience.”
This is shaping up to be the second consecutive offseason in which the Steelers make a surprising quarterback move. Last year, both Russell Wilson and Justin Fields were unexpected additions. Similarly, Rudolph is a surprising candidate for the starting role this year.
Based on the lack of panic Dulac is sensing, that seems to be a reality the Steelers are okay with. As we stray further into the offseason, it could become even more real. Aaron Rodgers has other suitors, including the Minnesota Vikings. Based on what we’ve learned so far this offseason, the Steelers don’t have a ton of love for Wilson. Even Kirk Cousins, who could have been a trade target, became more unlikely recently with a $10 million signing bonus kicking in for the 2026 season.
Because the Steelers traded their second-round pick for DK Metcalf, the draft becomes even harder to find a QB. They could risk drafting one with the 21st pick, but there are a few other positions that Pittsburgh needs to address. With no second-rounder, the Steelers would then be at the mercy of whichever QBs are still available in the third round.
If they don’t bring in a QB before the draft, that’s a rough position to be in. It would also mean Rudolph is the likely starter. Dulac mentions the stint Mason Rudolph had at the end of the 2023 season, which inspired confidence within the organization. Unfortunately, he wasn’t able to carry that into the 2024 season, where he struggled with the Tennessee Titans. If he’s the starter, the Steelers will have to hope he can find his old form again. Based on Dulac’s report here, it sounds like that may be the case.
