Pittsburgh Steelers fans know that the team will be replacing Aaron Rodgers sometime in the future, if not this season. They’ve already seen how the QB room has shaped up till this point, and the team seems to have a plan in action. But it might involve parting ways with veteran QB Myles Rudolph, who could have gotten his long-awaited shot at being QB1.
“I think Mason Rudolph would be the odd man out, to be honest with you,” Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s Ray Fittipaldo said on 93.7 The Fan’s The PM Talk. “Assuming Aaron Rodgers comes back, we all know they like Will Howard, and we all know they aren’t going to keep four quarterbacks.”
Howard is the favorite to be the starter in case Rodgers is no longer in the picture. He’s spent enough time in the shadows as a backup, and now seems to be his best time to come out front. And, there is a high possibility of the team drafting a signal-caller this year, and having him be the next man up. That removes the need for keeping Mason Rudolph on the roster, who’s been here for a total of seven seasons.
Although he has the veteran tag, he has always been a backup QB for Pittsburgh. He still got a chance to start for a long time in the 2019 season, after former QB Ben Roethlisberger suffered an injury. Aside from this, Rudolph never got a chance to make a mark for the Steelers. In 2023, he started three games, the highest he went after the 2019 opportunity. He had a better chance when he went to the Tennessee Titans in 2024, where he started in five games and threw for 1,530 yards and nine touchdowns. But when he came back to Pittsburgh in 2025, he had to resume the backup role.
Mason Rudolph’s contract also carries a higher cost compared to Howard’s rookie deal. He signed a two-year, $8 million contract in 2025. Howard, on the other hand, was brought in for a four-year rookie deal worth $4.4 million. Since he is the developmental option, the Steelers might as well do away with Rudolph and send him to a team that needs veterans in depth.
With Rudolph gone, Pittsburgh might be looking at an interesting QB option in the 2026 draft
Art Rooney II suggests the Steelers won’t use the first-round Pick on a quarterback
General Manager Omar Khan has said that the team is looking for “the next franchise guy” at quarterback. They’re looking for someone who can be consistent. Even though this is a need for the Steelers right now, team owner Art Rooney II has declared that it is not a priority in their draft order, especially for their highly valued 21st overall pick.
“I can tell you one thing, it’s probably not going to be a quarterback,” said Rooney on Pittsburgh Action News 4 recently. “But beyond that, it’s wide open. Of course, it depends on what happens in front of us.”
The first-round pick is probably going to be used on a wide receiver, since the Steelers need to add some depth after trading for Michael Pittman Jr. and losing Calvin Austin III. But the team can eventually pivot to a quarterback in the later rounds, which is where most of their targets are.
Fittipaldo predicted it would be Miami Hurricanes’ Carson Beck, who is expected to be selected in the 3rd or 4th round. Ty Simpson is a better option, but he is being projected as a first-round pick. But Beck is a great fit for the Steelers, being a pure pocket passer. The QB scriped a resurgence last year after a disappointing performance in 2024 with the Georgia Bulldogs. He has an elite arm and a great hand span of 10 inches – the second largest among QBs at this year’s Combine. Over the past four years, Beck has thrown for 11,725 yards, scored 88 touchdowns, and has an average completion rate of 69.5%. All numbers to be excited about.
The QB class this year gets crowded during this phase of the draft. Quarterbacks Drew Allar (Penn State), Taylen Green (Arkansas), and Cole Payton (North Dakota State) are all prospects who were part of the Steelers’ Top 30 visits, and they can all be found within range of each other on the draft board when it comes to their position. It’s safe to assume that one of them will be wearing the yellow and black soon.
