5 Pittsburgh Steelers impending free agents who need to be brought back

1. QB Mason Rudolph deserves another chance as Steelers starting QB

He would start the team’s final three games in 2023 behind center, and to say he made an enormous difference would be a huge understatement. A second-round pick by the team in 2018, former Oklahoma State standout Mason Rudolph was the team’s primary starter in his second year when Ben Roethlisberger went down with a season-ending elbow injury in Week 2.

He took his lumps, but threw for 1,765 yards, 13 scores and was picked off nine times in 10 outings. He became an afterthought for the most part until the final three games of 2023. With Kenny Pickett hurting and Mitch Trubisky ineffective, he got the nod and held onto the job even when the former was ready to go.

In wins over the Bengals, Seahawks and Ravens, he completed 74.9 percent of his throws for 719 yards, three scores and zero picks. He was less effective in the playoff loss to the Bills, throwing two TD passes and one interception.

Who will be the Steelers’ starting quarterback in 2024 has been an almost daily discussion in Pittsburgh. Will the team re-sign Rudolph to compete with Pickett? Will Rudolph test the free-agent market, as he has made mention of? Names like Justin Fields, Russell Wilson, Kirk Cousins and Ryan Tannehill (who played for new offensive coordinator Arthur Smith in Tennessee) have all been mentioned.

Bringing Rudolph back appears to be the popular decision in the locker room, and even the front office. There are a lot of days between now and March 13.