Our friends over at Touchdown Wire ranked the future quarterback situations of all 32 NFL teams. Looking ahead at the Pittsburgh Steelers we recognize there will be a changing of the guard at the quarterback position soon. Ben Roethlisberger is scheduled to return next season but it’s hard to imagine the franchise isn’t wondering if his replacement is on the roster.
Touchdown Wire put Pittsburgh’s future quarterback situation at No. 16 in the NFL. Here’s what they had to say about it.
Things will change in Pittsburgh soon. In some ways they already have. Veteran Ben Roethlisberger, who has won two Super Bowls, is out for the season with an elbow injury. Roethlisberger, 37, has said he wants to play again in 2020. But, prior to that, he has talked of retirement several times. Either way, it’s difficult to imagine Roethlisberger playing more than two more years. His contract runs through 2021, but there is an out clause after 2020. Second-year pro Mason Rudolph has gone 4-3 as a starter this season. He has completed 62.3 percent of his passes for 1,551 yards with 12 touchdowns and eight interceptions. “He’s shown he’s efficient. They need to put some more on his plate to see what they’ve really got,” one panelist said.
With six games left to play, Pittsburgh is going to get a good look at Rudolph. Even at his best this season, he’s not been great but last week his performance raised serious doubts about his decision making. Pittsburgh should know exactly what they have in terms of the future well ahead of free agency and the draft so even if Roethlisberger comes back the future is more secure.
