As most Pittsburgh fans know, the Steelers currently have only two quarterbacks under contract for 2024. Kenny Pickett will be in the third year of his rookie deal, while Mitch Trubisky’s services currently belong to the Steelers as well. Based on his play this season, many would like to see the Steelers cut Trubisky and free up some salary cap space.
According to Overthecap, the Steelers could designate Trubisky as a post-June 1 cut and gain $5.25 million of 2024 cap space. This move would stick the Steelers with $4.6 million of dead cap, which could be split over the 2024 and 2025 seasons at $2.3 million per year. Such a move would leave the Steelers with Pickett as the only quarterback on the roster. Let’s take a look at a few free agents with Steeler ties who the Steelers could add to fill the empty seats in the quarterbacks’ room.
Former Steeler QBs to consider
Mason Rudolph
Of course, the conversation of a Steelers quarterback competition starts with Mason Rudolph. His six years with the Steelers produced very little buzz until the end. Posting three touchdowns and no interceptions while starting the last three regular season games, he showed a consistency in quarterback play that the Steelers had been lacking for years.
Most fans want him back to at least compete with Pickett for the starter job, if not be handed the title based on his play during the three-game win streak that got the Steelers into the playoffs. Rudolph may very well choose to take his skills elsewhere when free agency begins. Signed to be the third quarterback on the roster last year, Rudolph played on a one-year deal at $1.08 million. His play earned the 28-year-old a pay raise, but the dollar amount and the team that signs his checks are yet to be determined.
Joshua Dobbs
Former Steelers quarterback Joshua Dobbs was a 2017 draft pick of the Steelers who, like Rudolph, did very little until lately. 12 of his 14 career starts came in 2023, split between the Arizona Cardinals and the Minnesota Vikings. In those outings, Dobbs threw for 13 touchdowns and 10 interceptions, adding another 421 yards and three touchdowns on the ground. At the age of 28, Dobbs played on a one-year contract worth $1.5 million.
