Ben Roethlisberger's retirement put the Steelers in a tough spot, but Kenny Pickett may have brought some relief to Pittsburgh. The team seems to have found its quarterback for the future, but the question is who will be his backup next year.
Last season, the Steelers had Mitchell Trubisky and Mason Rudolph on their depth chart. Both give Pittsburgh insurance at the position, but this year one of them will probably pack his bags.
Rudolph is expected to be the one on his way out, since he becomes a free agent while the 2017 No. 2 overall pick is still under contract. However, if Trubisky ends up being cut or traded as many predict, Rudolph may be interested in coming back to Pittsburgh.
NFL Rumors: Mason Rudolph could be Steelers backup QB if Mitch Trubisky leaves
(Via Tim Benz of TribLIVE)
“There has been a lot of chatter this offseason about the prospect of the Pittsburgh Steelers cutting or trading quarterback Mitch Trubisky. If that were to happen, would the Steelers entertain the prospect of keeping free-agent third-stringer Mason Rudolph? And would Rudolph even entertain that idea after he was bypassed last year by Trubisky in free agency and Kenny Pickett in the draft?
"According to a text exchange Wednesday with a source close to the situation, Rudolph’s primary goal is to explore his options outside of Pittsburgh. However, he wouldn’t ‘close the door unnecessarily’ on another contract with the Steelers."
What Rudolph cleary doesn't want is to be demoted to a third-string quarterback role. If the Steelers can offer him the backup job, it would make sense for him to stay. If not, he'll probably explore his options in the free agency. As for Trubisky, his chances of being a starter in the league also look practically over but he would be a very interesting target for teams looking for a reliable backup.