Why the Steelers should pass on a QB and trot out Mason Rudolph in the 2022 season

[whisper]

Ben was drafted in the 1st round of the 2004 draft.

Ben Roethlisberger draft: When was Big Ben drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers? (bolavip.com) (https://bolavip.com/en/nfl/ben-roethlisberger-draft-when-was-big-ben-drafted-by-the-pittsburgh-steelers-20220115-0009.html)

My bad, I looked it up and saw 2021 (his last season) and mistook it for 2001.

[T.Ferguson]

Ultimately I think Steelers should just start MR and use the draft and FA to address other areas and see how things are by season's end. The team isn't a QB away from a championship so I'm not sure what the point would be in going after an older FA QB, Minshew is younger than MR and he's the only one that would make sense to me.

One of the big questions is how bad/good the offense will look and what the status of Canada will be going forward.

What I think is going to happen is the team signs a FA and/or drafts a QB. I think with this being Colbert's last draft he wants to make one final splash and Tomlin supposedly loves Willis. The fact that Canada and the Steelers QB coach and Rooney are all at the Senior Bowl makes me think the team is going all in on one. I just hope the team doesn't trade up, that could potentially be a terrible move.

[whatever]

Drafting a qb outside of the top 10 picks would be a waste.
Look at our later round qb selections.
A backup can be found anywhere.

[Northern_Blitz]

He's had 10 starts to earn a little respect. I didn't see it. I get when people say a QB deserves a full camp to see what we have but in this case, we've seen 10 starts. I think he's displayed his skill set. I just don't see him competing with Burrow, Jackson and even whoever the Clowns trot out next season (rumored to be potentially Kirk Cousins).

Would love to be wrong. He seems like a bright kid.

I don't think people are arguing that he's a future franchise QB.

Only that it might be a reasonable idea to start him next year as we build the rest of the team and wait for a better opportunity to draft a QB (higher draft pick, better QB class, hopefully both).

[Northern_Blitz]

It was more like 20 (Bradshaw retired in '83, Ben Started in 2001). But it felt longer. A lot of that span was due to the Rooneys' stubbornness in trying to prove you didn't need a super high draft pick to land a QB that could take you all the way, even though the one who did get them there (Bradshaw) was taken 1st overall. If they fall back into that mode, it could be another long 20 years, dealing with the likes of Stoudt, Malone, Brister, Tomczak, Kordell, Franken-graham.

I get that we didn't win a SB, but we had some years of average to above average QB play in that 20 year span.

NoD had some good years including a probowl (except in the SB)
Kordell had good years, including a probowl nod (but was inconsistent)

They clearly weren't close to what Ben was. But they had some good seasons.

[Northern_Blitz]

Drafting a qb outside of the top 10 picks would be a waste.
Look at our later round qb selections.
A backup can be found anywhere.

This is generally how I feel.

Especially in a class most people think isn't all that good.

[NorthCoast]

Except Ben was good in the 4th quarter. Not sure Mason could have pulled out many of those close games.

There is a reason why Roethlisberger had the most 4th quarter comebacks in his career this season. The other 3 quarters were often looking like doodoo.

But I am really eager to see what happens with Rudolph as the starter because;

• he's already on record having said he will run what Canada calls so we should expect a lot of audibling out or backyard ball, is that good or bad?
• what Canada installed was "plays the QB is comfortable running"; so how much did his lack of playcalls to the MOF come from the QB's limitations?
• Rudolph is at least modestly mobile and a fairly big guy, so if they run an RPO he has some possibility of threatening to run (he had the longest run of the season until the last game of the year). With Roethlisberger there was zero chance he was running.
• He's throws a nice deep ball that shouldn't end up as a jumpball.

Honestly, there are things to like about Rudolph. It's just his pocket awareness and movement, and processing speed that have question marks for me.

[Chucktownsteeler]

There is a reason why Roethlisberger had the most 4th quarter comebacks in his career this season. The other 3 quarters were often looking like doodoo.

But I am really eager to see what happens with Rudolph as the starter because;

• he's already on record having said he will run what Canada calls so we should expect a lot of audibling out or backyard ball, is that good or bad?
• what Canada installed was "plays the QB is comfortable running"; so how much did his lack of playcalls to the MOF come from the QB's limitations?
• Rudolph is at least modestly mobile and a fairly big guy, so if they run an RPO he has some possibility of threatening to run (he had the longest run of the season until the last game of the year). With Roethlisberger there was zero chance he was running.
• He's throws a nice deep ball that shouldn't end up as a jumpball.

Honestly, there are things to like about Rudolph. It's just his pocket awareness and movement, and processing speed that have question marks for me.

I agree, no one knows what the future holds but it would be interesting to see what MR brings as "The Man". I thought it interesting interview he gave where he was somewhat fearful of stepping on Ben's toes. To be honest Mayfield was chosen #1 overall and MR in the 3rd round. Is there that much separation in talent between the 2?

Ben's gone now so we will see how that affects MR.

[SidSmythe]

Its Sink or Swim for RUDOLPH.
HASKINS was who they prepared for to be the Contingency plan.
Was it a Good One??
No!
Time to accept it and move on.

[Joel Buchsbaum]

Mason Rudolph is the Rodney Dangerfield of NFL QBs.

Nah. Rodney is funny.

[Joel Buchsbaum]

Its Sink or Swim for RUDOLPH.
HASKINS was who they prepared for to be the Contingency plan.
Was it a Good One??
No!
Time to accept it and move on.

This is not the draft to pick a QB high. Next year island we should have a pick better than 20th

[Northern_Blitz]

This is not the draft to pick a QB high. Next year island we should have a pick better than 20th

Joel,

Have you heard of / had any thoughts about the QBs in the draft after this one (2023)?

With any luck, it will be a deep class so we get a shot at a guy if we can get into the top 10.

I don't think we'll be picking in the top 5 (without a trade). I think our D is too good for that. And I'm sure other teams will be tanking and we'll be trying to win games.

[steeler_fan_in_t.o.]

I don't think we'll be picking in the top 5 (without a trade). I think our D is too good for that. And I'm sure other teams will be tanking and we'll be trying to win games.

I hear for a hundred grand apiece Brian Flores can get you some losses.

[Bawb the Revelator]

My MR question is whether he's good enough to win consistently with a serious "win ugly" run game commitment.
I'll cop to advanced age - 83 and disgustingly good health - plus having enjoyed the Ram/Redskin George Allen years
a lot more than both team owners did. if Tomlin as reported doesn't want to "develop MR" and commit to a serious
Win Ugly Run Offense then I'm being nostalgic and 100 percent unrealistic. Won't be my first time for either

[feltdizz]

This is generally how I feel.

Especially in a class most people think isn't all that good.

I don’t care about the whole class. If there is a QB who falls and we are in love with him we should take him.

A great QB class means a lot of teams will be over drafting and giving up premium picks to get in the top 5.

If we like Willis and he is there at 20 or we can move up 2 or 3 spots to get him we better make a move while its “on the cheap”

I don’t want us to draft a QB just to draft one but I also don’t want us to wait for the perfect draft class to try and compete for one of these guys who still could end up being a bust.

I want the Josh Allen or Mahommes who is available later in the first vs trying to elbow our way into the top 5.