Report: Pittsburgh Steelers divided over Kenny Pickett, Mason Rudolph QB1 question

As the Pittsburgh Steelers get ready for the offseason, the biggest question mark sits at quarterback. Kenny Pickett is preparing for his third season after a bumpy start to his career, and with Mitch Trubisky’s release earlier this week, Mason Rudolph now presumably sits behind him on the depth chart.

However, there appears to be some debate over which quarterback is the current QB1, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s Gerry Dulac.

Dulac reported “there appears to be some internal division” regarding whether Pickett or Rudolph should be the starting quarterback in 2024. Rudolph put together a strong finish to the 2023 season, finishing with a 3-0 record as the starter over his four appearances – the first of which came after Pickett suffered a high ankle sprain late in the year. In that time, he threw for 719 yards and three touchdowns as the Steelers flirted with a playoff appearance.

Pittsburgh drafted Pickett out of Pitt in the 2022 NFL Draft after Ben Roethlisberger announced his retirement, and the plan was for him to take over as the quarterback of the future. It hasn’t been easy through his first two seasons, though, and the Steelers moved on from offensive coordinator Matt Canada in the middle of the 2023 campaign.

All told, Pickett has 4,474 yards and 13 touchdowns to his name to start his career.

Could the Steelers look outside the organization for their next QB1?

After the season, Mike Tomlin said the plan was to bring in some competition for Pickett. As a result, the trade rumors continue to swirl. The Steelers have been linked to multiple quarterbacks who could hit the open market, including Russell Wilson and Justin Fields.

The Denver Broncos are likely to release Wilson after two years with the franchise, and Pittsburgh recently became the betting favorite to land him, according to DraftKings. Wilson’s first season didn’t go as planned considering Nathaniel Hackett got fired just a few games into his tenure, but he seemed to find a rhythm after Sean Payton took over. It won’t be cheap for the Broncos to hold on to him, which is why a release could be coming.

If the Steelers look to make a trade for a cheaper option, though, Fields could be a target. The Chicago Bears hold the No. 1 overall pick for the second straight year, although it’s coming from the Carolina Panthers this time around. The sense is Chicago would select Caleb Williams, which opens the door for a Fields trade. ESPN’s Adam Schefter recently said Tomlin is a “big fan” of the former Ohio State star. That could indicate where he stands on bringing him in if the Steelers go in that direction.