The writing is on the wall for Mason Rudolph. As the Pittsburgh Steelers began OTAs this past week, it was Will Howard taking QB2 reps while Rudolph was QB3. With the Steelers also adding Drew Allar in the third round of the draft, it certainly looks like Mason Rudolph will be the odd man out in the Steelers’ quarterback room.
While Pittsburgh could let everything play out in training camp and preseason, it would make more sense to ship Rudolph elsewhere and make it known that Howard is the backup
to Aaron Rodgers heading into the 2026 season.
Rudolph is a reliable backup. Of all 60 quarterbacks to play at least 50 snaps in 2025, he finished 22nd in EPA per play – higher than Justin Herbert, Bo Nix, and Baker Mayfield. Should the Steelers look to trade the former third-round pick, there are a handful of teams that would make sense as trade partners.
Los Angeles Chargers
Considering how much Justin Herbert gets hit, it’s a miracle he hasn’t missed more time. Herbert led the NFL in pressure rate in 2025 and was hit 74 times. Rudolph is better than Trey Lance and D.J. Uiagalelei (yes, I was also surprised to see that he was on an NFL roster).
Jacksonville Jaguars
It wouldn’t be the first time the Steelers traded a backup to Jacksonville, as they received a fifth-round pick in return for Josh Dobbs back in 2019. Nick Mullens is the current Jaguars’ backup, and he’s thrown five passes over the last two seasons. Acquiring Rudolph would give them an upgrade at QB2 should Trevor Lawrence miss any time.
Miami Dolphins
Are we sure Rudolph wouldn’t be the best quarterback on the Dolphins’ roster? Obviously, they are going to give Malik Willis a chance to show them he can be their franchise quarterback, but if the train comes off the track, Rudolph would be a far better Plan B than Quinn Ewers.
Denver Broncos
We saw how Jarrett Stidham played in the AFC Championship Game. If Bo Nix were to go down again, Rudolph would provide them with a better chance to win than Stidham.
Let us know what you think in the comments. Be sure to bookmark Behind the Steel Curtain for all the latest news, breakdowns, and more!
- Steelers fringe running back impressing at OTAs
- Steelers announce full 2026 training camp schedule
- Former Steelers defensive lineman signs with Minnesota Vikings
- Former Steelers OC Todd Haley weighs in on Will Howard, Mason Rudolph QB battle
- Mike McCarthy reveals reason for Troy Fautanu, Mason McCormick position changes
