With the Steelers opening training camp this week, these four scenarios are the absolute worst case for the team in 2021.
Training camp is a time for the players to prove their worth and claim a spot on a roster for themselves. For the Steelers, there are quite a few new faces ready to make an impact during the 2021 season. Not everything in camp will be positive though, and some scenarios could play out rather poorly. Here are the four worst-case scenarios for the Steelers 2021 training camp. Note: this list isn’t going to consider injury, as then the entire list would simply be stating the worst case is if this player was injured.
Steelers Rudolph regresses
Like it or not, Mason Rudolph is currently the odds on most likely option to be the Steelers starting quarterback next season. He has the top backup job essentially secured, so training camp and preseason will be a time for him to show some semblance of progression. He doesn’t have to play perfectly, but the hope is that he plays similarly to how he did against the Browns at the end of last season.
What happens if he struggles and looks like he did during the worst of times in 2019. The team is tied with him through 2022 due to his contract extension, and more than likely the team won’t be in a great position to land a top quarterback in the draft given the fact this roster likely won’t finish in the top ten. Rudolph doesn’t need to look like an elite player in camp, but he needs to at least be a proficient player and not regress in any sort of way during camp.