Does return of Mason Rudolph close the door on Russell Wilson?
On the surface, quarterback Mason Rudolph returns to Pittsburgh as the backup to Aaron Rodgers or Russell Wilson.
On the surface, quarterback Mason Rudolph returns to Pittsburgh as the backup to Aaron Rodgers or Russell Wilson. At a deeper level, Rudolph becomes the insurance policy against failing to land either Rodgers or Wilson.
At an even deeper level, the signing of Rudolph possibly closes the door on Wilson's return.
Before free agency, the Steelers said they'd like to re-sign Wilson or Justin Fields. By all appearances, the reference to Wilson was intended to be leverage for the effort to sign Fields. In the end, the Steelers didn't offer Fields enough; he accepted low-end starter money from the Jets.
Rudolph, a third-round pick in 2018 (that year, they picked safety Terrell Edmunds four spots before the Ravens selected Lamar Jackson), spent six years in Pittsburgh. He ended his first stint with three late-season wins before starting the wild-card playoff loss to the Bills.
Last year, the Steelers paid Wilson, Fields, and Kyle Allen less — combined — than Rudolph received from the Titans. Now that Rudolph is back at $4 million per year, the Steelers could make him the backup to Rodgers or a contender to start in competition with another veteran option (e.g., Jameis Winston, Drew Lock, Joe Flacco).
Wilson could be gone before the Steelers have a chance to officially supplant him. He visits the Browns today and the Giants tomorrow. With the Titans showing no interest in any veteran quarterback (they seem to be all in with Cam Ward at No. 1 in the draft), Wilson's starting options are currently down to three teams.
The truth might be that, with Rudolph returning to Pittsburgh, Wilson is down to two.
