With Mitch Trubisky, Mason Rudolph, Joe Flacco, Steelers and Browns may impact each other on the QB carousel

The Pittsburgh Steelers and Cleveland Browns are inexorably linked as AFC North rivals. This offseason, there may be some linkage when it comes to their quarterback situations as well.

After winning the 2023 NFL Comeback Player of the Year award with the Browns, quarterback Joe Flacco and the franchise have to figure out if there is a way to continue their relationship going into 2024. However, the Browns are likely to turn back to Deshaun Watson as their starter, assuming he is fully recovered from his shoulder injury.

According to a story from Cleveland.com, Flacco is going to attempt to find a starting job on the free-agent market first or at least look for a team that may give him a legitimate shot at earning such a role.

Just as Steelers’ pending free-agent QB Mason Rudolph is likely to do.

If that doesn’t transpire, though, reporter Mary Kay Cabot says that Flacco would be willing to return to Cleveland.

Just like Rudolph might do in Pittsburgh if he doesn’t find a more amenable opportunity to start elsewhere.

“If Flacco doesn’t find greener pastures, he’d love to remain in Cleveland, even though it means backing up Deshaun Watson. If he signs elsewhere, the Browns will turn their attention to other veteran backups,” Cabot said.

A pair of names that Cabot referenced included former Brown Jacoby Brissett and Mitch Trubisky. The ex-Steeler is a native of Mentor, Ohio, 25 minutes from Cleveland. According to Cabot, the Browns “loved” Trubisky in the 2017 draft.

Related

• First Call: Ravens GM praises former player who joined Steelers; an Arthur Smith favorite hits free agency
• Quarterbacks who could find way to Steelers become hot topic at NFL Combine
• Ravens' John Harbaugh never believed Steelers' Mike Tomlin was leaving organization

Meanwhile, Brissett is someone who has been discussed as a potential backup for Kenny Pickett in Pittsburgh if Rudolph leaves and if the Steelers decide against swinging big at the position by acquiring the likes of Justin Fields, Russell Wilson or Kirk Cousins.

All three of those quarterbacks — and their potential to move — were hot topics of conversation at the NFL Scouting Combine Tuesday.

So don’t be surprised if, at some point during the annual game of NFL offseason QB musical chairs, decisions made by the Browns impact the Steelers or vice versa.

Especially if Rudolph takes a job that could’ve gone to Flacco, or the other way around.

One other note about Rudolph. You may have seen a mention of him this week from ESPN’s Bill Barnwell. He had a post at ESPN.com ranking potential free-agent quarterbacks. Regarding Rudolph, Barnwell said “he is likely to re-sign with the Steelers.”

The word “likely” sounds a little strong to me — at least right now, before we even get to March.

From what I’ve gathered tracking rumblings coming from the Steelers’ quarterback situation, Rudolph’s return is still a possibility, but any likelihood beyond that is pure speculation at this point.

To me, Rudolph returning to Pittsburgh is a 50-50 prospect at best. That’s “possible.” It’s not “likely” — at least not before a few other QB lily pads get occupied across the NFL.

Perhaps one by Flacco.

By the way, in that QB-ranking post, Barnwell had Rudolph and Trubisky both in the same “sixth tier” of free agents at the position, those that are “backups likely to earn a roster spot.”

That feels like an appropriate description for Trubisky. Based on how Rudolph performed at the end of 2023, I view him higher than that.