5 Steelers quickly losing leverage on 2021 roster spots

Steelers Mason Rudolph

Everyone’s favorite backup quarterback, Mason Rudolph has seemingly hit the ceiling in terms of his development. While he is a fine backup, he is nothing more than a bottom-tier starter focused on managing a game as opposed to winning it. The Steelers are obviously still high on him (they did extend him to a fair deal before the draft), but he hasn’t been the second-best quarterback to this point in camp.

While he has had plenty of warts as well, Dwayne Haskins has had a good camp so far. He topped that off with the best preseason performance of the group to date when he looked sharp against the Eagles. He has taken more risks, but overall, they have paid off in a practice sense. Rudolph has a higher completion percentage, but that is more due to him taking the check-down options as opposed to pushing the ball deep.

Now, Rudolph’s roster spot is secure at this point unless a team makes some sort of obscene trade offer to try and acquire him. Assuming that doesn’t happen, he will be on the roster once the season begins. That said, with Haskins playing as well as he has, there is a chance he could leapfrog Rudolph for the backup role. It may take another good preseason game from Haskins, but his hot camp could lead to Rudolph getting demoted to third-string quarterback duties.