Jalen Hurts is expected to miss the rest of the season, and the Pittsburgh Steelers should gladly discuss Mason Rudolph if Philadelphia starts shopping for quarterback help. Pittsburgh has already installed Rudolph as its veteran QB2, but that role shouldn't make him untouchable.
Philadelphia's situation changed dramatically after additional testing revealed a deep vein thrombosis and blood clots in Hurts' lungs. The Eagles announced Monday that Hurts is stable, receiving blood thinners, and is expected to make a full recovery without long-term effects. Football, understandably, has to wait.
The Eagles are 2-4 after Sunday's loss to Carolina, but the Giants lead the NFC East at 3-2-1 through Week 6. Hurts' absence doesn't eliminate Philadelphia from a division race this open. Adding a veteran could still serve a purpose beyond simply finishing the schedule.
Pittsburgh Steelers have every reason to shop Mason Rudolph
Philadelphia's options include Tanner McKee, a fourth-year quarterback drafted in the sixth round in 2023; rookie fifth-rounder Cole Payton; and third-year sixth-round pick Joe Milton III. That quarterback room once included Kenny Pickett, Pittsburgh's 2022 first-round pick, so the Eagles have shopped the Steelers' depth chart before.
None of those three current alternatives has Rudolph's NFL experience. Rudolph has 19 regular-season starts, compared with three for McKee and none for Payton or Milton. That doesn't guarantee he'd outperform McKee, but it explains why Philadelphia might consider another addition even after signing Milton.
Rudolph's starting experience comes with limitations Steelers fans know well.
Rudolph's best Pittsburgh stretch came in 2023, when he started the final three regular-season games and went 3-0, while completing 74.6 percent of his passes for 716 yards, three touchdowns, and no interceptions. That run helped rescue Pittsburgh's season and earned him a playoff start.
Tennessee provided the less romantic version. Rudolph signed with the Titans during the 2024 free-agency period and later started five games. Tennessee went 1-4 in those starts, while Rudolph finished the season with 1,530 passing yards, nine touchdowns, and nine interceptions across eight appearances.
That doesn't make Rudolph useless. It makes him what Pittsburgh currently needs him to be: a capable reserve rather than somebody blocking long-term quarterback evaluation.
Rudolph offers a longer NFL résumé, not a promise to rescue Philadelphia's offense. That's a reason to discuss a modest trade, not demand a premium pick.
The Steelers have Aaron Rodgers starting, with Rudolph, Will Howard, and Drew Allar behind him. Pittsburgh has already faced questions about whether keeping so many quarterbacks could eventually force a trade.
Rudolph has a legitimate case as the safest backup on the roster, an argument built on his veteran experience. But safety isn't sacred. If Philadelphia offers late-round draft capital for a 31-year-old reserve while Pittsburgh is carrying two developmental quarterbacks, Omar Khan should listen.
Trading Rudolph would leave Howard or Allar one injury away from replacing Rodgers. Khan needs to decide whether the pick is worth accepting that risk, not whether Philadelphia's season is already over.
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