Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Mason Rudolph got the nod in the team's 2025 preseason opener versus the Jacksonville Jaguars. He was limited to only the first two drives before resting but fared well in minimal playing time. However, his backup, Skylar Thompson, stole the show almost immediately upon checking in, albeit to no avail.
Thompson carved up the Jaguars to the tune of completing 20-of-28 passes for 233 yards and three touchdowns in Pittsburgh's 31-25 win. Granted, it was against second-, third- and even fourth-string units, but there's no denying he made the most of the opportunity. Alas, torching Jacksonville's reserves en route to guiding the Steelers to a tune-up victory doesn't mean much for his standing with the franchise.
Fellow free-agent signings Aaron Rodgers and Rudolph firmly entrenched atop the signal-caller depth chart in Pittsburgh. Moreover, they also drafted Ohio State standout Will Howard in the sixth round of the draft this spring, and he's quickly become a fan favorite. If anything, Thompson's performance makes him an intriguing bargaining chip the Steelers can try to recoup value via trade.
Packed QB room gives Steelers potential trade chip in Skylar Thompson
The writing is on the wall for Thompson in Pittsburgh; his time donning the black and gold has an expiration date. A crowded position group outweighs all the goodwill he builds with the front office and coaching staff. Dominant performances like this and a strong offseason workout program will force the Steelers to re-evaluate their roster outlook or buy him more time. Nonetheless, by process of elimination, the decision will ultimately lead them to the same outcome.
After months of courting Rodgers, his role as their starter under center is solidifed, especially if the alternative is Thompson (no offense). As mentioned, Rudolph did nothing to merit being getting bumped down the pecking order in Jacksonville. Then, there's Howard, who likely won't partake in any of Pittsburgh's exhibition matches while nursing a broken bone in his throwing hand.
Will the Steelers take a page out of the Cleveland Browns' unconventional book of legitimately considering having four passers on the final 53-man squad? Because that's probably Thompson's best path to sticking around, unless Pittsburgh moves Howard to injured reserve. Otherwise, the former is effectively auditioning for his next chance.
Howard is probably the only one you can somewhat justify parting ways with of Pittsburgh's throwers. His pedigree (or lack thereof) as a late Day 3 selection and older rookie who's also hurt already are all red flags. Yet, he was challenging Rudolph as Pittsburgh's primary understudy to Rodgers before going down and is their only potential long-term option.