Former NFL GM Believes Steelers Could Face Competition for Rudolph From AFC Foe

Getty The Pittsburgh Steelers could face competition for Mason Rudolph from the Denver Broncos

Over the final three weeks of the NFL’s regular season, Mason Rudolph guaranteed himself spot on an NFL roster for the 2024 season.

During that stretch, Rudolph led the Pittsburgh Steelers to a 3-0 record, helping them secure a spot in the playoffs.

His performance to finish the season will certainly have the Steelers interested in bringing him back, but they could face competition from an AFC opponent.

During an appearance on 93.7 The Fan’s Paul Alexander Show, former Buffalo Bills GM Doug Whaley named Rudolph as a player to watch in free agency for the Denver Broncos.

“Think about this, Sean Payton doesn’t need a mobile quarterback,” Whaley said (via Mile High Huddle) . “That type of offense, timing, precise accuracy type thing, every once in and while, a calculated deep shot, it kind of fits what he does. This guy [Rudolph] will be a legitimate stop gap, the way he’s playing right now. ”

The Broncos’ Quarterback Situation

With two weeks left in the 2023 NFL season, the Broncos made the surprising decision to bench Russell Wilson and started Jarrett Stidham for the team’s last two games.

At the time, Broncos coach Sean Payton claimed it was to provide a “spark offensively.”

The results told a different story.

The team only scored 16 points against the Chargers, who had one of football’s worst defenses in 2023.

They followed that up with 14 points against the Raiders.

Now the team’s quarterback situation for the 2024 season is uncertain.

As was the case when the Raiders made a similar move last season, Stidham isn’t the answer.

Meanwhile, Wilson seems unlikely to be on the Broncos’ roster for much longer.

With the 12th pick in the 2024 draft, the Broncos could land the fourth or fifth quarterback off the board, but that QB will probably need some time to develop before being given a starting job.

That would still leave the Broncos looking for somebody that could lead the team in 2024.

Rudolph could be a good fit for the year.

A Good Year for Mason Rudolph’s Free Agency

During the 2023 offseason, there was very little interest in Rudolph and it even got to the point that he was thinking about a career change.

The 2024 offseason is going to be a very different experience for him.

After completing 53 of 71 passes for 719 yards and 3 touchdowns over his three starts and breaking the Steelers’ single-game completion percentage record in Week 18, Rudolph has proven that he can be a viable QB in the NFL.

The timing of his free agency will also work out pretty well for him.

With Kenny Pickett still featuring in the Steelers’ plans at QB, they’re going to need a dependable backup option.

Pittsburgh and Denver also won’t be the only suitors out there looking for a quarterback.

The Vikings struggled at QB after Kirk Cousins was injured and Cousins is no longer under contract.

The Falcons could be in the market for a QB after a brutal year for their offense. Taylor Heinicke’s contract is cuttable and Desmond Ridder struggled in his second season. The Falcons could take a QB with pick eight, but Rudolph would be an option if they don’t.

Even the Jets could take a look at Rudolph as a backup with how things played out following Aaron Rodgers’ injury.

Once free agency begins, Rudolph could have a decent list of options to choose from.