3 Steelers players who won’t be back for the 2023 season
By Mark Powell
The Pittsburgh Steelers are bound to look different in 2023 as they take the next step in their rebuild with Kenny Pickett under center.
Technically, the Steelers postseason hopes are not completely dead, but at 6-8 entering Week 15, Pittsburgh would need a miracle to pass the likes of the Miami Dolphins, New England Patriots and New York Jets — especially because all three of those teams beat them.
Mike Tomlin and Co. still have some work to do, as Pittsburgh hopes to extend their head coach’s streak of winning seasons. For Tomlin and the coaching staff, these last few weeks are about a preview of what’s to come from some of the Steelers young talent.
Rookie quarterback Kenny Pickett has already shown what he can do. While far from perfect in just his first few starts, Pickett displayed progress before missing last week’s game due to a concussion. He will go into training camp next summer as the unquestioned starter, barring an unforeseen decision from the Steelers front office.
But some of Pittsburgh’s 53-man roster won’t be as lucky. Which Steelers players will have to find new homes next offseason?
Steelers who won’t be back: Mason Rudolph
Mason Rudolph finished third in Pittsburgh’s preseason quarterback competition, and grew to believe he was misled by the coaching staff in terms of how real of a chance he actually had to win the starting QB job.
Just last week he was in the conversation to start in place of Pickett, but made way for Mitch Trubisky, who played an important role in Pittsburgh’s win in Carolina.
The Steelers know what they have in Rudolph, and it’s not much. His rookie contract has officially expired, and it’s time to move on.
Rudolph was drafted in the middle rounds as a potential heir-apparent to Ben Roethlisberger. While no one can defend how Roethlisberger treated Rudolph — even critiquing him on local radio — Rudolph hasn’t shown the necessary improvement to be anything more than a backup quarterback.
Pittsburgh already has one of those, and his name is Mitch Trubisky. Next.