Former Pittsburgh Steelers safety and current ESPN analyst Ryan Clark generated headlines last week when he said, “I would not want Mason Rudolph as my starting quarterback.” This came following the retirement of future Hall of Famer Ben Roethlisberger.
It appears at least some within the organization don’t share that point of view.
Per Myles Simmons of Pro Football Talk, Steelers general manager Kevin Colbert spoke about the team’s quarterback situation on Monday and backed the 26-year-old who is currently atop the club’s depth chart at the sport’s most important position.
“If we started a season today, Mason would be our starter,” Colbert said. “He’s 5-4-1 as a starter. We’re excited to see what’s next for Mason.”
As expected, Colbert added Pittsburgh intends to tender 2019 first-round draft pick Dwayne Haskins but will also likely acquire a different option via free agency and/or the upcoming NFL Draft.
“We know we’re going to add to the position,” Colbert explained. “I can’t tell you how at this point. We will go to camp with four. If we had to start today with Mason as our starter, let’s go. We’ll try to build the best team around him.”
Multiple knowledgeable analysts have named the Steelers as a potential suitor for San Francisco 49ers veteran Jimmy Garoppolo. Garoppolo would become Pittsburgh’s QB1 over Rudolph if a trade was executed, if for no other reason than the price tag associated with his services this winter or spring.
Rudolph, meanwhile, has completed 236-of-384 career passes (61.5%) for 2,366 yards with 16 touchdowns and 11 interceptions since being selected by the Steelers in the third round of the 2018 draft.
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