The Pittsburgh Steelers have encountered difficulty finding a place for Mason Rudolph this season, and a new option could emerge for the longtime veteran — trade bait for the needy Philadelphia Eagles.
The Eagles just got bad news on starter Jalen Hurts, who is expected to miss the remainder of the season after being diagnosed with blood clots in his lungs. While the next steps for the Eagles are not immediately clear, Rudolph has already been floated as a possible trade target.
Steelers Could Help Eagles After Jalen Hurts News
Reporter Matt Reed of The Big Lead suggested that Rudolph could be a solid, if unexciting, addition for an Eagles team suddenly in need of quarterback depth.
“The Pittsburgh Steelers veteran has plenty of NFL experience, and that’s his biggest draw as a trade prospect,” Reed wrote. “He’s not the most attractive name in the trade market, but the 31-year-old would be a cheap acquisition and could give the team enough to stay competitive in games.”
Bleacher Report’s Kristopher Knox had already identified Rudolph as one of the top quarterbacks on the trade market, noting that the Steelers already have a pair of young quarterbacks they’re developing behind starter Aaron Rodgers.
“Pittsburgh Steelers backup Mason Rudolph, on the other hand, should be available to teams that need backup help,” Knox wrote. “The Steelers kept four quarterbacks on their 53-man roster, with Rudolph, Will Howard, and rookie Drew Allar sitting behind Aaron Rodgers.”
Eagles Will Need Some Help
While the Eagles were able to turn to backup Tanner McKee for Sunday’s loss to the Carolina Panthers, they may need more help. Hurts was initially placed on injured reserve after blood clots were detected in his leg, but his agent announced on Monday that more were found in his lungs. Hurts would need several months of treatment, though he is expected to make a full recovery.
“Jalen’s prognosis is very good, and we expect a full recovery,” noted agent Nicole Lynn in a message posted on Monday. “We anticipate that he will have the opportunity to resume contact football activities when off the blood thinners. In the meantime, he will remain active around the team and continue to condition. More importantly, we anticipate that he will have no long-term effects.”
McKee struggled in Sunday’s loss, the fourth straight for the Eagles after starting the season 2-0. He went 26-of-45 passing for 215 yards, throwing one touchdown and taking three sacks. The Eagles managed just 222 total yards of offense, and McKee said after the game that he wasn’t satisfied with the performance.
“First thoughts, my team needs me to be better,” McKee told reporters after the game. “I need to be better. I am so much better, and I’m looking forward to learning everything and becoming the player that I know I am, the player that I can prove that I am. A lot of things obviously that were frustrating fall on me. A lot of things we’ve got to get fixed as an offense for sure.”
Veteran Steelers QB Named Eagles Trade Target After Jalen Hurts News