Dolphins Trading For Steelers' Mason Rudolph Is Suddenly Gaining Serious Traction

The Pittsburgh Steelers will roll out an offense in 2026 that will be led by 42-year-old quarterback Aaron Rodgers. The signal-caller room in the Steel City is rather fascinating, but not because of the starting situation. Mason Rudolph, Will Howard and Drew Allar could all end up making the initial 53-man roster, which would be a very rare setup. On the contrary, there remains a possibility that one of the guys could either end up on Injured Reserve (IR) or be traded. The team could go in a number of different directions and nothing would come off as a shock.

It's fair to expect that both Rodgers and Allar will be around regardless, but the complication arises when looking at Rudolph and Howard. One is a veteran with starting experience, while the other is a second-year player who has had his fair share of ups and downs throughout the 2026 preseason. There is no way to know if the coaching staff truly trusts him in the event that an injury were to occur to the future Hall of Famer in Rodgers.

This is why keeping Rudolph around makes logistical sense. He is familiar with the Steelers as an organization and wouldn't be a bad quarterback to throw in there in a pinch. However, Pittsburgh proved on Saturday evening that it isn't afraid to engage in trade discussions at this time of year. Omar Khan dealt Broderick Jones to the Dallas Cowboys in a savvy move. That could be the first of many in the Steel City.

More could be on the way for the Steelers, too. While it remains somewhat unlikely that one of the quarterbacks will be on the move, it's hard to rule out anything when Khan is involved. He has proven time and time again that he is not afraid to make the unpopular transaction. This is why news coming from the Miami Dolphins on Sunday may have earned some attention from Pittsburgh's brass after its AFC Foe was left without a second-string signal-caller.

"With Dolphins on lookout for a No. 2, what quarterbacks could shake free today? Names widely speculated by many across the league include: 1). From Cleveland -- either Dillon Gabriel or rookie Taylen Green (who took a 30 visit with Fins). 2). From Minnesota - JJ McCarthy 3). From Tennessee - Will Levis (& Hendon Hooker) 4). From Philadelphia - Andy DaltonThose are just some. Pittsburgh has said it's keeping all 4 of its QBs; we'll see," longtime Dolphins reporter Barry Jackson posted on X.

While there are a lot of options out there around the league apparently, the Steelers are still being mentioned. Out of all of those possibly involved, Rudolph could absolutely be the most prominent backup. If Miami and general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan is willing to part ways with a fifth- or sixth-round selection, it might be viewed as worth it on Khan's end to part ways with someone who is going to be a free agent come March.

There is a fair argument out there to be made about how quickly the Steelers' season could spiral downward if Rodgers suffers a serious injury and Rudolph is not around to start. Both Howard and Allar remain in somewhat of a developmental process as they get used to professional football. Howard might be trusted to step in for a week or two, but any kind of IR stint from the four-time MVP could lead to the campaign being a lost cause without an experienced backup around.

Steelers Have To Weigh Pros And Cons Of A Possible Rudolph Trade

Pittsburgh could very well still be in the market for a long-term franchise quarterback come 2027. If Rodgers stays healthy and the defense performs well, it won't be very easy to find that solution when picking in the 20s. This is why a big-time trade up the board could be on the minds of Khan and Co. Draft capital will be needed to accomplish that, however, and the Steelers getting their hands on as much of it as possible would be a very worthwhile strategy.

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