Steelers GM Kevin Colbert updates Pittsburgh's plan at quarterback

The Pittsburgh Steelers have an important offseason ahead of them. Pittsburgh must replace longtime starting quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, who retired after the end of this past season. With the Steelers in the quarterback market, two in-house options lead the way: Mason Rudolph and Dwayne Haskins.

If the Steelers had a game right now, it would be Rudolph taking the snaps under center, according to current general manager Kevin Colbert, who will be stepping down following the 2022 NFL Draft.

“If we started a season today, Mason would be our starter,” Colbert said, via NFL Network’s Aditi Kinkhabwala.

Rudolph has started ten games over his three seasons with the Steelers, leading the team to a 5-4-1 record in those games. He has thrown for 2,366 yards with 16 touchdowns and 11 interceptions in his NFL career. Rudolph started eight games in 2019, leading the Steelers to a 5-3 record with him at quarterback.

Haskins was a first round draft pick, selected 15th overall in 2019 by Washington. But after less than two seasons in DC, Haskins was released. In 13 starts in Washington, Haskins was 3-10, and threw for 2,804 yards with 12 touchdowns and 14 interceptions. He has been on the Steelers practice squad ever since.

Even with Rudolph and Haskins likely to be back next season, the Steelers will be adding two more quarterbacks to the roster before the season starts.

“GM Kevin Colbert expects the #Steelers to have two QBs def under contract shortly, Mason Rudolph and Dwayne Haskins, whom he expects to tender,” Kinkhabwala tweeted. “But the team will def add two more QBs before camp, he says… w/out giving us any great hints at whether that’s via draft, trade or FA.”

Rudolph wants to ‘be the guy’ at quarterback for the Steelers

While he has sat behind Roethlisberger for much of his career, Rudolph believes that he’s ready to take the next step as a starting quarterback in the NFL. Rudolph wants the starting job, and he plans to be the guy, also acknowledging that he isn’t sure what else could happen in the room this offseason.

“I’m a competitive person and I’ve got a lot of confidence in myself,” Rudolph said. “I think that I can be the guy next year. That’s my plan. I want to be the guy. But there’s too many question marks right now. I’m not going to begin to try to make a forecast on who’s gonna be in the room. This is the NFL. Things are ever-changing. My job is to be in contact with the coaches and look forward to when we get to come back here. …But who knows. There’s a million scenarios. Drafting somebody. Free agency. I have no idea.

“But I know that I’m gonna compete.”