The Pittsburgh Steelers have a perfect plan in place for their game against the Jets at quarterback. After a good outing by both young options, Pittsburgh intends for Will Howard to start in this game and eventually be replaced by Drew Allar.
This leaves veteran Mason Rudolph in an awkward spot.
Rudolph looked fine last week against the Packers, and he is certainly the safest backup quarterback on the roster, but he lacks the obvious potential that the two younger options have. It makes the Steelers' quarterback depth chart hard to predict.
From keeping four quarterbacks to cutting Rudolph or Howard, this feels like a position that is still sorting itself out. However, while Rudolph will be watching his potential replacements prove themselves against the Jets, New York may have more of an interest in the veteran on the sideline.
The Pittsburgh Steelers could trade Mason Rudolph to the New York Jets
Recently, trade buzz started to swirl that the Jets may be in the hunt for a more veteran backup option. Geno Smith is the projected starter (for better or for worse), and rookie Clade Klubnik is the first in line to be his backup.
Klubnik, to this point, hasn’t had a great offseason, and the Jets seem rightfully skeptical that he could step in as a starter if needed.
This opens the door to a player like Rudolph. He is an established veteran backup on a reasonable deal. He can get you by for a few games if injuries strike. He isn’t flashy, but he is a safe bet.
The Jets won’t get to see Rudolph play firsthand in their matchup with the Steelers, but they should have plenty of tape on him. If Klubnik can’t secure the backup role, New York will be rightfully looking elsewhere.
This adds even more fuel for Howard’s fire in this game. If he can look the part like he did last week, he could cement himself as the top backup quarterback. In doing so, it likely leads to Rudolph getting moved or cut before the new season begins.
The trade value for Rudolph wouldn’t be immense, but adding an extra pick for a player you don’t need is good business. It will certainly be a fun story to run with if Howard wins the backup job this week and Rudolph is later traded to the same team.
Time will tell if the Steelers ultimately move on from Rudolph, but there could certainly be some smoke to these rumors. At a bare minimum, it adds another layer of importance to Howard delivering this week against the Jets.
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