The Pittsburgh Steelers are heading toward the 2026 regular season with four quarterbacks on the active roster, and that alone has stirred plenty of noise around the league.
One of the names getting the most attention is Mason Rudolph. According to insider Jason La Canfora, several NFL teams believe Pittsburgh would be willing to move the veteran backup, even if actually getting a deal done is another matter entirely.
“NFL executives have stated that the Steelers are very open to trading veteran Mason Rudolph,” he wrote. “However, the one thing stopping this is not Pittsburgh’s willingness to sell, it’s the number of quarterbacks potentially available across the league which could make finding a deal more difficult.”
That’s the bind for Pittsburgh. On one hand, the Steelers have what La Canfora described as a crowded quarterback market to navigate, with only five teams opening the season carrying four quarterbacks. On the other hand, the NFL is always hunting for quarterbacks, and that desperation could still create a path for a trade if the right team steps forward.
Potential landing spots immediately include the New York Jets, Detroit Lions and Minnesota Vikings, though those are just a few of the possibilities. If the Steelers do move Rudolph, they would also solve one of their biggest roster headaches. Keeping four quarterbacks means another spot gets squeezed elsewhere, and trimming down to three would open the door to help at a more pressing position.
Still, there’s another wrinkle: Pittsburgh seems to genuinely like the group it has. Head coach Mike McCarthy has been complimentary of all four quarterbacks throughout training camp and the preseason, from the young passers to Aaron Rodgers and Rudolph. One source within the organization told Steelers On SI that the plan all spring and summer was to keep the four quarterbacks on the roster.
That makes any sudden change of direction harder to read. If the organization really intended to keep all four, a trade would be a sharp pivot. For now, though, the door remains open, and Rudolph’s name is one to watch before the Steelers kick off the regular season.
In Other News...
Steelers Cut Just Drew Immediate Interest From Another Team
D'Shawn Jamison did not stay on the market long after the Steelers moved on from him during final roster cuts. The cornerback, who has also spent time with the Panthers and 49ers, drew a workout from the Arizona Cardinals and quickly landed a practice-squad spot as teams continue sorting out depth in the secondary.
Arizonas interest makes sense with Will Johnson sidelined by a lower-body injury and five cornerbacks already on the active roster. For Pittsburgh, Jamisons quick landing is another reminder of how fluid the back end of the roster can be once cutdown day passes and teams start looking for experienced cover help. [Read more 🡒]
Steelers Quietly Added An Intriguing Edge Rusher To Watch
The Steelers quietly added three players to the practice squad, and one of the more interesting names is Bradyn Swinson, a young edge rusher with some real developmental appeal. Pittsburgh also brought in defensive back Car'Lin Vigers and wide receiver Brandon Johnson, but Swinson stands out because of where he was drafted and the kind of role the Steelers believe he can grow into.
A 2025 fifth-round pick by the Patriots, Swinson spent most of his rookie year on New Englands practice squad and got into three games. For a Steelers team that has long valued pass-rush depth and coaching up athletic defenders, he is the kind of low-risk addition worth monitoring as the season moves along. [Read more 🡒]
Tomlin Finally Revealed What Really Pushed Steelers To Trade Pickens
The Steelers did not move on from George Pickens just because they had a chance to reshuffle the wide receiver room. Mike Tomlin laid out the thinking behind the decision, saying Pittsburgh no longer saw Pickens as a fit for its long-term plans, especially when it came to the leadership expectations that come with a second contract. In that same explanation, Tomlin pointed to DK Metcalf as the kind of player the organization felt more comfortable building around after giving him a major extension.
Pickens time in Pittsburgh had plenty of talent but also enough friction to make the choice easier to understand in hindsight. The fines and on-field incidents that followed him through his Steelers tenure were part of the backdrop, and Tomlins comments made clear those issues mattered when the team weighed what it wanted next at the position. The larger question now is how far Pittsburgh was willing to go to draw that line, and what it says about the standard the front office wants to keep enforcing. [Read more 🡒]