Trade rumors around Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Mason Rudolph are coming up again.
The Pittsburgh Steelers entered the NFL season with four quarterbacks on the roster, a move that many teams have pushed against.
Even starter Aaron Rodgers said it was a curious decision, but the Steelers have continued to keep four on the roster. Behind Rodgers is backup Mason Rudolph, second-year player Will Howard, and rookie Drew Allar.
The Steelers are hopeful that none of the backups will have to take the field this season, barring any garbage time minutes. But injuries do happen over the course of the year, and Rodgers is 42 years old.
Due to the excess of quarterbacks on the roster, the Steelers could elect to move one of them at the upcoming trade deadline. Pittsburgh hasn't shown a willingness to make a move like this yet, but the team doesn't have a real need for four quarterbacks throughout the entire season.
If the Steelers do decide to move one of the signal-callers, Rudolph would be the one most likely to be traded. The veteran has been a career backup, and he has seen his name placed in trade rumors over the last few months.
And now those rumors have started to come back up, with ESPN NFL insider Dan Graziano listing Rudolph as a player who could be moved at the trade deadline. Pittsburgh has been happy with Rudolph as the backup to Rodgers, but the veteran may want to have a chance to play elsewhere.
Over his career, Rudolph has never played in more than 10 games in a season, but teams are still interested in his services. Last season, Rudolph did start a game for the Steelers due to an injury to Rodgers, with him throwing for 310 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions.
Rudolph has a big arm, and he has shown the ability to push the ball down the field, even in limited action in the NFL. Pittsburgh could likely net a mid-round pick for the veteran quarterback, and this could help them build more toward the future.
Unless Rudolph is the plan for the Steelers after Rodgers retires this year, keeping him doesn't make a lot of sense. It would be a better move for Pittsburgh to give one of the younger guys a chance to see what they can do out on the field.
Both Allar and Howard have looked good in preseason action, but how the Steelers want to play this moving forward remains to be seen. But until Rudolph is traded or the Steelers come out to say that he isn't being moved, the rumors will continue to persist through the deadline.
