Getty Mason Rudolph is trapped in Pittsburgh
Do the New England Patriots need another quarterback on their roster?
If we’re speaking from a depth perspective, an argument could be made for the team to add someone with a little more upside than journeyman practice-squad veteran Garrett Gilbert.
On the strength of that concept, Bleacher Report’s Kristopher Knox makes a case for the Patriots to swing a deal for Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Mason Rudolph.
According to Knox, Rudolph could find a new home with the Patriots or the Carolina Panthers, but here is his reasoning for a Foxborough fit.
“The New England Patriots could have some level of interest in Rudolph,” Knox wrote. “Mac Jones is dealing with an ankle sprain, and backup Brian Hoyer (concussion) is on injured reserve. Fourth-round rookie Bailey Zappe helped deliver a win in Week 5, but New England could still benefit from proven veteran depth.”
Some may see a potential addition of a player like Rudolph as a waste for the Patriots, as they already have two young quarterbacks. One way or another, it would appear Rudolph needs to be moved out of Pittsburgh.
Mason Rudolph is Stuck in a Hopeless Situation
Former Patriots quarterback Jarrett Stidham might be familiar with Rudolph’s predicament. Before Stidham was shipped off to the Las Vegas Raiders ahead of the season, he was stuck on a roster with the team’s obvious quarterback of the future, Mac Jones, and a veteran in Brian Hoyer, who had entrenched himself on the roster as the second-year pro’s mentor.
Stidham was in purgatory. He was too old to be considered a young quarterback but not quite old enough to accept a mentor or permanent backup role.
Rudolph, 27, is in a similar spot. Mitchell Trubisky is a veteran with the Steelers. He’s not quite as old as Hoyer, but it has become painfully obvious that he will never ascend beyond the point of being a semi-capable backup.
The Steelers drafted Kenny Pickett in April to be their future quarterback, so it is only a matter of time before he is handed the keys. With Trubisky having already been given a chance to lead the team and Pickett getting his shot beginning in Week 5.
Where does that leave Rudolph? In a hopeless position. Rudolph’s only path to the field in Pittsburgh is as a stopgap option after an injury to both Pickett and Trubisky.
He needs a fresh start, but the ideal spot might not be in New England, where he’s likely to be in a similar position behind Jones and perhaps even Bailey Zappe.
Who is the Patriots’ QB of the Future?
For now, it is still Jones. However, Zappe is coming on strong. It seems there is a good chance Zappe starts his second straight game for the Patriots on Sunday against the Cleveland Browns.
If Zappe can build on what he did in the team’s 29-0 win over the Detroit Lions in Week 5, and the Patriots win again, Bill Belichick and Co. will have a tough decision to make ahead of the Week 7 battle against the Chicago Bears.
At the beginning of the season, the Patriots probably seemed like one of the teams least likely to have a quarterback controversy. Still, they could be one more solid Zappe performance from landing in the middle of a QB1 dilemma.