The Pittsburgh Steelers changed their quarterback room completely by releasing Mitch Trubisky, trading Kenny Pickett, and letting Mason Rudolph walk. The last two parts of that came as somewhat of a surprise, but Rudolph was not returning once the team signed Russell Wilson. Beyond that, though, Rudolph now has a chance to earn a starting job, or at least be the beneficiary of a potential slippery slope, with Will Levis in Tennessee. Levis seems the shoo-in starter since the Titans will want to figure out what they have in him.
However, if he gets hurt or things go downhill quickly. Mason Rudolph could be someone who at least logs snaps and turns it into a starting gig by the season’s end. In Bleacher Report’s latest article on backup quarterbacks who could become household names, they select Rudolph as one of the obvious candidates.
Why do they like Rudolph so much? The three-game stretch at the end of the regular season with Rudolph at the helm sparked the Steelers right into the playoffs. Rudolph made plays he should, processed what the offense gave him, and while he had his shortcomings, Rudolph played as a perfect point guard to the Steelers’ weapons group.
With Calvin Ridley, DeAndre Hopkins, and others in the room in Tennessee, it would be hard to envision Rudolph could not do much of the same. Levis will get the first crack at it, and while he was a sparkplug at times for the Titans last season, his volatility leaves consistency in his game to be desired. He will have to take a noticeable step forward to end up being dubbed the future of the Titans.
For now, it seems like Rudolph will be Levis’ backup. But the NFL is ever-changing and could switch quickly if Levis’ play does not improve in the season. Tennessee made some big moves in the offseason to support the Levis, and it seems they are ready to push for winning now.