Steelers Labeled As A Day 4 "Winner" For Rudolph Signing

It was only a matter of time before the Pittsburgh Steelers made a move to address their quarterback situation.

Yesterday, the team announced the return of a familiar face, Mason Rudolph, who departed last offseason to join the Tennessee Titans. While there remains a possibility for the team to pursue Aaron Rodgers or even Russell Wilson, having Rudolph back provides a potential backup plan should both options prove unavailable.

One analyst who shares these sentiments is NFL expert Bryan DeArdo of CBS Sports. In his latest piece, he praised the Steelers as a winner in free agency following their signing of Mason Rudolph to a two-year deal on Thursday. DeArdo highlighted that the potential of Rudolph becoming the team's starting quarterback would be fitting, as he elaborates in his analysis:

"It'll be one of the most ironic situations in recent NFL history if Rudolph is now called to lead the Steelers offense after Pittsburgh initially drafted him to possibly be Ben Roethlisberger's successor back in 2018. The Steelers reportedly came to terms with Rudolph (who spent the 2024 season with the Titans) on a two-year, $8 million deal on Thursday."

Beyond Rudolph, the team has limited options after losing out on both Justin Fields to the New York Jets and Sam Darnold to the Seattle Seahawks. Some have speculated about the possibility of the Steelers finding their next quarterback in this year's NFL Draft. However, given the team's minimal engagement with quarterbacks from this year's class, it seems unlikely they will take this route. If anything, their offseason moves suggest the team is aiming to secure their franchise quarterback in 2026, when the Draft will be held in Pittsburgh.

In a backup role with the Titans last year, Rudolph recorded 1,530 yards on 146 completions, with nine touchdowns and nine interceptions. He is best remembered for his performance with the Steelers in Weeks 16 to 18, where he helped lead the team on an improbable run to the playoffs, ultimately falling to the Buffalo Bills in the wildcard round.