The Pittsburgh Steelers have three quarterbacks but the only one we are sure will be on the team in 2024 is Kenny Pickett. This puts the Steelers front office on the clock in coming up with a plan for how to address the position.
Mason Rudolph was the late-season hero when he took over the starting spot. Rudolph rallied the troops, played with confidence and opened up the offense. But now he is staring down free agency and after his strong finish, should have options.
Then there is Mitch Trubisky. Trubisky’s addition was supposed to be the bridge to the future after the retirement of Ben Roethlisberger. But when he was called upon in 2023, he let the team down. He is, however, under contract through the 2025 season.
So what are the Steelers to do? They would save more against the cap to release Trubisky with a post-June 1 designation, meaning he might stick around a little longer. Nevertheless, there’s no value in keeping Trubisky, especially if it means losing an opportunity to re-sign Rudolph.
But what happens if Rudolph does sign somewhere else? Will this force the Steelers to keep Trubisky? That kind of decision could depend on not only other free-agent quarterbacks and the 2024 NFL draft. The team should know what’s going on with Rudolph before the draft and if he is re-signed, it would allow Pittsburgh to jettison Trubisky and fill out the depth chart with either a low-cost vet or a rookie.
However, if Rudolph leaves, Pittsburgh might want to go ahead and cut Trubisky loose and just start fresh.
