Former Pittsburgh Steelers safety and current ESPN NFL Analyst Ryan Clark doesn’t believe that Mason Rudolph has what it takes to be a good starting quarterback.
“I don’t believe that Mason Rudolph is the quarterback,” Clark said in an appearance on 93.7 the Fan, “So is there a free agent that you can get to compete?”
Since joining the Steelers as a third-round draft pick in 2018, Rudolph has started 10 games and compiled a 5-4-1 record. He has completed 61.5% of his passes and thrown for a combined 2,366 passing yards, 16 touchdowns and 11 interceptions.
With long-time starting quarterback, Ben Roethlisberger, retiring after 18 season with the team last month, the Steelers have many different options to go for their next signal-caller. Clark noted that Roethlisberger wasn’t in his prime over the last five seasons and have had issues trying to compete with the best teams.
“The thing about the Pittsburgh Steelers in the last five years or so, they’ve been able to compete without true, elite quarterback play,” Clark said. “It was just competing though. There were never any of those teams that we really thought were championship caliber.”
The Steelers roster right now has Rudolph and third-stringer Dwayne Haskins, who each have a shot next season to become the team’s starter.
Quarterbacks the Steelers could likely have as their starter next season are established quarterbacks like Aaron Rodgers of the Green Bay Packers, Russell Wilson of the Seattle Seahawks and Derek Carr of the Las Vegas Raiders
The NFL Draft this April is also a place where the Steelers have been looking for their new starting quarterback. Liberty’s Malik Willis and Pitt’s Kenny Pickett are the favorites for the team, especially after their performances at the Senior Bowl in Mobile, A.L. Ole Miss quarterback Matt Corral is another player that Clark thinks could revitalize the Steelers offense.
“Do we believe in Kenny Pickett?,” Clark said. “Do we believe it’s Malik Willis, Matt Corral?”