A portion of the Pittsburgh Steelers fan base seems split on whether Russell Wilson, Justin Fields or Kirk Cousins should be the team’s starting quarterback in 2024. The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s Gerry Dulac reported that there is division among the Steelers organization as well. But that division isn’t about whether to make a big offseason quarterback splash; it’s whether to start Kenny Pickett or Mason Rudolph in 2024.
“[The Steelers] will go into the 2024 season with the idea Kenny Pickett, who has compiled a 14-10 record as a starter, will be the No. 1 quarterback,” Dulac wrote. “But they will not go in with the same hope they had this time last season when they were encouraged by the way their rookie quarterback finished the 2022 season.
“In fact, there appears to be some internal division that maybe Mason Rudolph should be the starter after the way he finished the 2023 season, winning the final three regular season games to gain entry to the playoffs.”
Of course, there’s an obvious flaw in that thought, which Dulac pointed out.
“Rudolph is an unrestricted free agent who may or may not return, depending on how swiftly the Steelers make him an offer,” Dulac wrote. “And for how much?”
Pickett has posted back-to-back 7-5 seasons to begin his career. He completed 62% of his passes for 6.4 yards per attempt in 2023. He also had 6 touchdowns and 4 interceptions.
Rudolph was 3-0 in the 2023 regular season. He completed 74.3% of his attempts and recorded 9.7 yards per pass. He also had 3 touchdowns and zero interceptions in four appearances.
A Steelers Return Makes Sense for Mason Rudolph?
There have been some mixed reports on whether Rudolph will be back with the Steelers next season.
NFL Network insiders reported on February 11 that Rudolph “has indicated” he wanted a fresh start elsewhere. But other reporters such as Dulac and ESPN’s Brooke Pryor have conveyed that Rudolph has yet to make a free agency decision.
On February 17, Dulac argued in favor of Rudolph coming back to the Steelers for a seventh season.
“It would make sense for Rudolph to return, especially after the way he played and how he energized the offense in the final four games,” Dulac wrote. “His teammates like him, several have politicked for him, and another indicated there is enough of a question as to who should be the starter that the coaching staff needs to figure it out in a hurry.”
One of those players appearing to politick for Rudolph to return as Pittsburgh’s starter was wide receiver Diontae Johnson. After the playoff loss to the Buffalo Bills, Johnson said, “I hope he gets the job next year,” when talking about Rudolph potentially coming back to the Steelers.
Steelers ‘Not Interested’ in Signing Starting QB
There were many interesting tidbits from Dulac’s report on February 17. The report included one intriguing nugget on recently released quarterback Mitch Trubisky. The night the Steelers drafted Pickett, team members asked Trubisky to congratulate Pickett for getting drafted in the first round.
“No wonder he played as though he was always looking over his shoulder after that,” wrote Dulac.
But most notably, Dulac claimed that the Steelers will not be in the free agent market for a quarterback who is seeking to start in 2024.
“That would include Justin Fields and Kirk Cousins, and probably even Russell Wilson, who has a connection with the Steelers,” Dulac wrote. “They are committed to giving Pickett a third season to see if he is the guy to do more than just win a playoff game — something they haven’t done in a franchise-record seven years.”
That should quiet the Fields, Wilson and Cousins rumors circling Pittsburgh. If Rudolph is open to a return, either he or Pickett will start for the Steelers in 2024.
But being that it’s the offseason, Steelers fans are likely to continue seeing the team connected to other potential starting quarterbacks.
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