Reports: Mason Rudolph to visit Steelers, could sign on as No. 3 quarterback
TribLIVE's Daily and Weekly email newsletters deliver the news you want and information you need, right to your inbox.
With the Pittsburgh Steelers still in the market for a third quarterback, they will visit with Mason Rudolph on Tuesday with the idea of bringing him back to the organization for a sixth NFL season.
Various outlets, including ESPN, reported that Rudolph is expected to re-sign a one-year deal with the Steelers if his meeting with team officials goes as planned.
Rudolph, 27, served as the team’s No. 3 quarterback last season when he dressed for just one game and didn’t take a snap in the regular season. He would continue to serve in that role behind starter Kenny Pickett and backup Mitch Trubisky.
The other quarterback on the offseason roster is former Minnesota passer Tanner Morgan, who signed with the Steelers after going undrafted.
Rudolph wasn’t expected to return to the Steelers when he hit free agency for the first time. Although he had his best training camp since joining the Steelers as a third-round draft pick in 2018, Rudolph never was seriously considered for the starting job and opened the season behind Trubisky and Pickett on the depth chart. He was inactive for every game but one.
General manager Omar Khan, though, never closed the door on Rudolph returning and said publicly at the NFL Combine that the Steelers would like to have him back.
Rudolph has taken few snaps since 2019 when he replaced an injured Ben Roethlisberger and went 5-3 in eight starts while sharing quarterback duties that year with undrafted free agent Devlin “Duck” Hodges.
He started the finale of the 2020 season at Cleveland and subbed for Roethlisberger for one game in 2021 when the Steelers tied the Detroit Lions. Those were the last regular-season snaps Rudolph has taken.
For his career, Rudolph is 5-4-1 as a starter, completing 61.5% of his passes and throwing 16 touchdown passes and 11 interceptions.
ESPN also reported the Steelers will sign XFL cornerback Luq Barcoo of the San Antonio Brahmas. Barcoo has spent time with five NFL organizations after signing with Jacksonville as an undrafted free agent in 2020.
The Steelers also visited with former Pro Bowl linebacker Kwon Alexander on Monday night. Alexander spent last season with the New York Jets, starting 12 games and playing in all 17. He made the Pro Bowl in 2017 with Tampa Bay.
Source: TribLIVE
