The Pittsburgh Steelers are officially moving on from the Ben Roethlisberger era, and it sounds like there is a good chance their next starting quarterback is already on the roster.
Tomlin told reporters on Tuesday that “all options are on the table” for potential Roethlisberger replacements. However, he said both Mason Rudolph and Dwayne Haskins have earned the right to compete for the starting job.
Asked about #Steelers QBs Mason Rudolph and Dwayne Haskins, Mike Tomlin says, "They'll be given an opportunity to establish themselves. There's going to be competition. There always is. They'll write that story… Both guys have positioned themselves to fight that fight."
— Aditi Kinkhabwala (@AKinkhabwala) January 18, 2022
Haskins will be a restricted free agent this offseason, so it sounds like the Steelers intend to bring him back. Rudolph has been Pittsburgh’s primary backup QB for several seasons now and would make the most sense if they don’t acquire a big-name veteran.
The Steelers have the 20th overall pick in the draft. They could target a quarterback at that spot, but they probably wouldn’t want to start a rookie right away regardless. There has been some talk about them making a play for a star quarterback, though that would also be out of character.
Tomlin led the Steelers to the playoffs this season despite Roethlisberger’s uninspiring play. There’s no reason for him to think he can’t compete with Rudolph or Haskins, as long as the roster around them is solid.
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