The Pittsburgh Steelers now have a crowded quarterback room featuring Aaron Rodgers, Mason Rudolph, Will Howard, and Drew Allar. Following Rodgers' unexpected signing, the team appears to be leaning toward developing their 2025 sixth-round pick Will Howard and 2026 third-round pick Drew Allar, potentially leaving Mason Rudolph out of the picture.
Mason Rudolph's Replaceable Status
Despite having drafted Will Howard in 2025, the Steelers added Drew Allar this year, signaling a focus on developing young signal-callers for the primary backup role. Aaron Rodgers played for Pittsburgh in 2025, during which he built a rapport with Howard. This gives the organization hope for the 2026 season, where Rodgers could similarly mentor Drew Allar. If the Steelers have concerns about Rodgers' performance, they could rely on his understudies—Howard and Allar—to finish the season. In this quarterback scenario, there appears to be no room for Mason Rudolph.
According to Bleacher Report's Moe Moton, Mason Rudolph is an established veteran, but the signing of Aaron Rodgers made his status 'expendable'—meaning replaceable—especially if the team prefers developmental quarterbacks like Howard and Allar for the backup role.
Potential Trade to the New Orleans Saints
FanSided's Austen Bundy proposes a trade scenario between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the New Orleans Saints: Mason Rudolph in exchange for a 2027 conditional sixth-round pick, which could be upgraded to a fifth-round pick if Rudolph starts half of the Saints' games in 2026. The Saints need depth and consistency behind their 2025 draft pick Tyler Shough. Current backups Spencer Rattler and Zach Wilson may not inspire confidence in head coach Kellen Moore, but acquiring Rudolph could elevate the entire quarterback room. Rudolph is more physical than both Rattler and Wilson.
The 30-year-old Oklahoma State alum recorded 38 completions on 52 attempts for 310 passing yards and two touchdowns in five games during the 2025 season. His overall completion rate was 64.6 percent, and his passer rating stood at 84.7. Drafted in 2019 as Ben Roethlisberger's successor, Rudolph never fully seized the opportunity. In his rookie campaign, he posted 176 completions on 283 attempts for 1,765 passing yards, 13 touchdowns, and nine interceptions across 10 games. Since then, Ben Roethlisberger (2019-21), Kenny Pickett (2022-23), Russell Wilson (2024), and Aaron Rodgers (2025 onward) have handled quarterback duties in Pittsburgh.
Mason Rudolph could be a perfect fit for the New Orleans Saints behind Tyler Shough. FanSided's Austen Bundy notes that Pittsburgh is "one bad injury away from a torched season," but if Rudolph enters the picture, he could give Kellen Moore confidence to keep the team afloat.
