Could Mason Rudolph still be on the move before the season settles in?
Pittsburgh entered the year carrying four quarterbacks on its initial 53-man roster, but that picture already changed when the Minnesota Vikings cut Max Brosmer and brought him back on the practice squad. That leaves the Steelers with three signal-callers, and it also keeps Rudolph in the conversation as the most movable piece in the room.
The case for dealing him is pretty straightforward. Rudolph is on the final year of his deal, and the Steelers don’t appear to have much future upside attached to him compared with Drew Allar and Will Howard.
At the same time, he’s not a throwaway backup. Mike McCarthy has praised Rudolph several times over the summer, and he’s viewed as the kind of steady reserve who could keep Pittsburgh afloat if Aaron Rodgers were forced out of action.
If the Steelers decide to shop him, there are a few teams that make sense.
Buffalo stands out first. The Bills went in the other direction from Pittsburgh when they finalized their roster, keeping only two quarterbacks.
That’s easier to justify with Josh Allen at the top of the depth chart, but the backup spot is thin. Former Steelers quarterback Kyle Allen is currently the No. 2, and he has just one completion over the past three seasons.
Rudolph wouldn’t be a cure-all if Josh Allen missed extended time, but he would give Buffalo a better chance to stay in the fight and maybe scrape together a couple wins.
Tampa Bay is another club that fits. Undrafted free agent Jalon Daniels put together a strong preseason, throwing for 239 yards and a touchdown while completing 61.4 percent of his passes and adding a rushing score.
That performance won him the backup job behind Baker Mayfield, and he’s the only other quarterback on the roster. Still, handing the season to an unproven rookie would be a risky move for a team with playoff expectations and a shot at winning what looks like a wide-open NFC South.
Rudolph would give the Buccaneers a more reliable hand if they needed one.
The Jets have also come up as a possible landing spot, and the fit still makes sense. Geno Smith is trying to rebound after a rough 2025 season with the Las Vegas Raiders, but with Aaron Glenn under pressure and New York trying to take another step toward relevance, the leash may not be long.
Fourth-round rookie Cade Klubnik impressed during the summer and is the backup, though there’s no guarantee he’s ready for regular-season snaps. Rudolph may not bring much excitement, but he does raise the floor, and that kind of stability can matter if the Steelers ever decide to send him to New York.
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