Source: Mason Rudolph will explore other options, but won't 'close door' on Steelers if team moves on from Mitch Trubisky

There has been a lot of chatter this offseason about the prospect of the Pittsburgh Steelers cutting or trading quarterback Mitch Trubisky.

If that were to happen, would the Steelers entertain the prospect of keeping free-agent third-stringer Mason Rudolph? And would Rudolph even entertain that idea after he was bypassed last year by Trubisky in free agency and Kenny Pickett in the draft?

According to a text exchange Wednesday with a source close to the situation, Rudolph’s primary goal is to explore his options outside of Pittsburgh. However, he wouldn’t “close the door unnecessarily” on another contract with the Steelers.

That sure sounded to me like Rudolph doesn’t want to burn a bridge and would come back if there is nowhere else to go. But he wants to test the waters just about anywhere else first to see if he has a better shot to fight for a starting job.

Or to at least find a No. 2 job in a different city where he would feel more secure in holding that role. In other words, all things being equal … they aren’t.

The sense I got was that if it came down to a 50-50 choice between equal offers from “Team X” as the No. 2 quarterback and the Steelers as the No. 2 quarterback, Rudolph would likely lean toward Team X for a fresh start.

After he was never allowed to take a snap in 2022, can you blame him?

That same source also told me it is their belief that the Steelers would be willing to trade Trubisky if they can get some value in return. It’s also their hunch that Trubisky wouldn’t balk at the idea of a fresh start elsewhere as well.

Via OverTheCap.com, Rudolph’s salary cap hit last year was $4 million. Trubisky’s contract stands at a $10.6 million cap hit for 2023. If he is cut or traded before June 1, the dead cap charges would only be $2.6 million. Hence, the Steelers could save $8 million.

So if the Steelers were to retain Rudolph or get another veteran backup quarterback in the $5 million range, that’s $3 million that can be used toward free agency in some other way.

Unless, of course, coach Mike Tomlin, offensive coordinator Matt Canada and the Steelers’ front office deem a potential loss of Trubisky so significant that they don’t see the $3 million in savings as a worthwhile trade-off for losing Trubisky.

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Keep in mind, Trubisky won two games that he started and finished last year — the opener against the Cincinnati Bengals and the road game in Carolina.

He lost two games that he started and finished against the New England Patriots and Cleveland Browns and another he started but was benched against the New York Jets.

He was good coming in for an injured Pickett during a victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He was lousy, throwing three interceptions, in a loss at home against the Baltimore Ravens.

Not counting Minkah Fitzpatrick’s pick-6 in the opener against the Bengals, the Steelers averaged 17.8 points per game in those contests. Only five teams in the NFL averaged fewer than that last season. They all finished below .500.

If you want some backup QB comps, Spotrac.com sets Jacoby Brissett’s free-agent market value at $5.4 million after doing an admirable job starting in Cleveland before Deshaun Watson became eligible. Baker Mayfield is at $6.5 million. Andy Dalton is at $6.5 million. Sam Darnold is projected at $5.1 million.

Is one of those players (or Rudolph at a slight bump) worth $3 million in savings? If that makes the difference in signing Cam Sutton or not, yeah, I’d say so, especially if we are talking about a trade that also brings a fourth- or fifth-round pick with it.

If the Steelers are just planning to use that money for a little cap cushion or to spread out here and there, maybe not.

For now, though, Rudolph is probably wise to avoid slamming that door “unnecessarily.” But he is smart to thoroughly explore those other options — if they come about.

Because my guess is, unless the Steelers really get tempted by better-than-expected return, they’d rather hold Trubisky in reserve if something happens to Pickett than play the free-agent bidding game with one of those other quarterbacks or re-sign and promote Rudolph for cap savings that may not make that much of a difference.

If those QBs are willing to sign for less than expected or if the draft pick value is surprisingly high for Trubisky, that’s a different story.

If I had to bet now — I wouldn’t. But I’d expect the Steelers to open training camp with Pickett as the starter, Trubisky as the backup and a pair of developmental options fighting for the third job.