A core value of the NEWS is stability. To see this shown, just take a look at the announcement that Mike Tomlin is anticipated to return for his 18th season as head coach in 2024. As a group, the Steelers are adept at figuring out what works and sticking with it.
All of this is to say that the Steelers don’t have a lot of intriguing free agents available this summer. which is not surprising at all. To put it plainly, Pittsburgh keeps its truly valuable players off the free market. Before contracts are even a concern, top performers sign extensions; the others? The brass of the team believes they can be replaced, though.
The Steelers are coming off a 10-7 campaign and a postseason trip at the same time. It’s not as though 53 new players will join them in 2024. At the appropriate price, some of these men should be brought back because they are stars or at least contributors.
What “these guys” are we talking about? I’m glad you inquired. Let’s examine the prospective free agents for the Steelers and who the team ought to re-ask.
Mason Rudolph, quarterback
Rudolph most likely would not be on this list if this article had been written even one month earlier.
However, he is on the list, and it wasn’t written back then. What are you trying to say?
Nevertheless, Rudolph had essentially clipboard duties for the third straight season before being forced into starting duty in Week 16. The Steelers had to be satisfied with what they got from Rudolph, their former starter, since Kenny Pickett was hurt and Mitch Trubisky was playing like Mitch Trubisky.
An excellent audition with three starts throughout the regular season, three victories, and zero interceptions on 71 pass attempts. Although he only completed 60% of his throws in the playoffs and threw two touchdowns, his performance was inconsistent, to be expected from a third-string quarterback.
The quarterback for the Steelers in Week 1 of 2024 is probably not on the roster right now. Trubisky is going to be cut go, and even though Pickett has started 24 games, he hasn’t shown he can play for Pittsburgh.
