NFL Rumors: Mason Rudolph's future, Antonio Pierce surprise, Vrabel's next home

NFL Rumors: Mason Rudolph's future with the Steelers is cloudy

The Steelers are rolling with Mason Rudolph into Buffalo to take on the surging Bills on Wild Card weekend, but beyond that the Oklahoma State product's future is murky at best. Rudolph is set to become a free agent after the 2023-24 season, and his Steelers career could be over as soon as Sunday.

Rudolph's resurgence has been the surprise of the season for Pittsburgh. When Kenny Pickett went down with an injury, the Steelers turned to Mitch Trubisky, who failed spectacularly. Rudolph was Mike Tomlin's last chance, and he balled out in the final three games of his current contract. Rudolph even admitted he was looking into jobs outside of football prior to receiving this opportunity. Now, he may have a future in football after all.

However, it's unclear if that future will come in Pittsburgh. Despite playing the backup role this weekend, Kenny Pickett is still listed as the starter on the Steelers depth chart, as if to not upset the second-year QB out of Pitt. The Steelers invested a first-round pick in Pickett, and whether fans like it or not he will get another chance to prove himself.

Rudolph, on the other hand, is a free agent and deserves to sign with a team that will actually give him a chance to start, or compete for the starting job in training camp. As great as he's played lately, that may not be in Pittsburgh.

In a Steelers mailbag on The Athletic, a reader asked Mark Kaboly how Pittsburgh could possibly walk away from Rudolph if he wins in Buffalo this weekend. Kaboly's answer surprised some readers.

"That’s an easy one: Because Rudolph might not want to come back. He might get offered more money or have a better opportunity elsewhere. There is a way around this, which is to offer him a contract he can’t refuse before free agency even opens. But even then, why would Rudolph agree to that? He will be able to really test his market value for the first time."

Kaboly knows Rudolph better than most in the Pittsburgh media landscape. It's also no secret that Rudolph feels he hasn't been given a fair chance with the Steelers ever since he was drafted. Ben Roethlisberger didn't want him around. Then Pittsburgh signed Trubisky and drafted Pickett over giving Rudolph a real chance to take over.

The Steelers didn't believe in Rudolph then. Why should Rudolph believe in them now?