By: Jake Rajala

The Pittsburgh Steelers have officially begun their quarterback competition in the post-Ben Roethlisberger era. The Steelers inked the wiser quarterback Mitchell Trubisky to a $14.285 million dollar deal and they proceeded to draft former Pitt QB Kenny Pickett 20th overall in the NFL Draft. Last but not least (yet), Mason Rudolph is familiar with the scheme and he will surely aim to prove he is capable of being the heir to Big Ben.

RIP to Dwayne Haskins, who tragically passed away on April 9th, 2022.

The Steelers may not have their legendary signal-caller QB that won two Super Bowl rings but they will certainly have a QB performance that’s an upgrade over the 2021 version of Big Ben. Outside of Trubisky “having a growth session like Bruce Wayne in Batman Begins” as the QB2 in Buffalo, he was a modest signal-caller with a lesser talented Bears offense in 2020. He threw 16 touchdowns, 2,055 passing yds, and unveiled a 6-3 record as a Bear in his last season in Chi-town. Of course, he would be crowned the NVP, as well.

Trubisky will be a strong candidate to start given his combination of experience and arm talent. If he could improve his turnover habits and have a similar career turnaround as Jameis Winston (5-2 in 2021), he might look impressive with the Steelers weapons in pre-season.

The Pittsburgh royalty Kenny Pickett was the most NFL-ready rookie QB in the 2022 draft class and Tomlin stated that it was an easy decision to draft Pickett. Furthermore, Tomlin has stated that Pickett could honestly have a chance to start in Week 1. The NFL world knows that Pickett possesses nice arm talent, but it’s seen among many NFL scouts that he doesn’t have overwhelming upside. He could still be able to utilize the deep-speed of Chase Claypool and Diontae Johnson shortly after putting on his Steelers jersey.

The Steelers veteran QB Mason Rudolph will face an uphill battle to be the starting QB, to say the least. I wouldn’t expect Rudolph to start unless “Trubisky had TO issues/or was injured and Pickett isn’t able to grasp the playbook” well enough.

It isn’t clear which QB will start for the Steelers, but the Steelers nation is aware that an intense, exciting QB battle is on the horizon. Regardless of the QB’s jersey number, they should be a “capable game manager” in the Steelers offense featuring Najee Harris, Johnson, and Claypool at a minimum standard. Perhaps Pickett will even feel the hometown pressure/juice and quickly rise to become a star for the talented Steelers team.

The post Steelers QB outlook: what does Kenny Pickett bring to the Steelers? appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

By: Jake Rajala

The Pittsburgh Steelers 2022 offseason is officially underway. The last chapter for the legendary two-time Super Bowl champion Ben Roethlisberger in Pittsburgh has been closed. All signs point towards Big Ben retiring and Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin has even stated that he’s acting with the assumption that his long-time starting QB is retired. Furthermore, Tomlin expressed that he was “excited” about the challenge of finding the Steelers next franchise QB.

The most likely road for the Steelers starting QB does appear to lie with the competition between the QBs in the building. The young Mason Rudolph, who is under contract for another season, will have an opportunity to push for the starting gig. Former Ohio State Buckeye Dwayne Haskins and “current draft bust” is bound to be a restricted free agent in 2022, but the 24-year-old holds an opportunity to compete for the starting QB position. It basically appears obvious that both QBs will be in the facility chomping at the bit when training camp arrives, as Tomlin stated that the two QBs have earned an opportunity to fight for the starting QB from a professional and work standpoint.

The Steelers could also look at QB prospects like Marcus Mariota, Tyrod Taylor, Jameis Winston, Jacoby Brissett, and Andy Dalton in free agency. It would also make a lot of sense if the Steelers pursued QBs like Matt Corral or Kenny Pickett in the 2022 draft, too.

As it stands, the two young bucks in Rudolph and Haskins are laser-focused on receiving the keys to the Steelers hot-rod offense. The most likely starting Steelers QB in training camp appears to be Mason Rudolph, but Dwayne Haskins surely won’t go down without a fight. With that said, which QB is more destined to be the next franchise QB? Well, let’s go under the microscope and unveil the tale of each QB.

Mason Rudolph

The former Oklahoma State University QB finished seventh in Heisman voting as a senior in college. It was quite an impressive senior season for Rudolph, as he notched 28 passing touchdowns to 4 interceptions. He also won the “Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award” in his last playing season. Rudolph of course earned himself an early phone call in the 2019 NFL draft, as he was picked in the 3rd round to be the potential heir to Big Ben. The QBs selected ahead of Rudolph in the 2018 draft were Baker Mayfield, Sam Darnold, Josh Allen, Josh Rosen, and Lamar Jackson (all in the first round).

As of the end of the 2021 regular season, The 2018 third-round pick Mason Rudolph has spent three seasons as the backup QB to Big Ben. It didn’t take long for the former Oklahoma State QB to see the field because he played in 10 games in 2019 (rookie year). In those 10 starts, Rudolph unveiled 1,765 passing yards, 13 passing touchdowns, 9 interceptions, and an 82.0 passer rating. Rudolph wasn’t a bobblehead QB or pedestrian for the performance like many rookie QBs. Nonetheless, the Steelers will demand more excellence than his overall production from his outing in 2019. Big Ben has never had a QB rating from a 15+ game season below 82.

It is worth noting that rookie QBs still have ousted similar regular season QB ratings as Rudolph’s 2019 rookie outing. Trevor Lawrence, who was taken first overall in the 2021 NFL draft, registered a 71.9 passer rating from the 2021-2022 season. The New York Jets rook QB in 2021 Zach Wilson showcased a 69.7 passer rating in his rookie campaign. Not only was Rudolph’s slightly below-average production not uncommon for rookie signal-callers, but Rudolph should be leaps ahead of his 2019 version. He has been able to sit behind Big Ben and grow for numerous seasons since 2019.

Rudolph may not have been putting up “Madden-like” numbers or unleashing highlight throws to the corner of the end zone, but he showed a real knack for winning. Rudolph put together a three-game winning streak in 2019. His winning streak would of course end in the same game where he had the most unusual moment of his career.

Towards the final moments of the Cleveland Browns 21-7 victory over Pittsburgh, 2021 DPOY candidate Myles Garrett and Rudolph were involved in a serious fight. Garrett snatched Rudolph’s helmet off his head and he tried to hit Rudolph’s head with his helmet. Rudolph was trying to drag down the Browns elite defensive end in the physical exchange. Garrett accused Rudolph of using a racial slur at him, but the players and league couldn’t find any evidence of Rudolph expressing a racial slur at him. Garrett was suspended indefinitely and fined $45,623, while Rudolph wasn’t suspended and given a hefty fine of $50,000.

The Pittsburgh center and tough guy Maurkice Pouncey was suspended for two games and Browns defensive tackle Larry Ogunjobi was suspended one game for being involved in the infamous brawl.

Rudolph started two preseason games (played three games) in 2021 and unleashed a 99.2 passer rating from the preseason. Rudolph flashed his excellent improvement in reading the field and taking care of the football. He displayed a 75% completion percentage and he didn’t throw any interceptions.

The veteran backup would go on to make two appearances this season (one start), as well. He threw for 277 yards, one touchdown, and one interception. In his lone start, Rudolph led his team to a tie with the three-win Detroit Lions squad. The young QB told the press after the game that his performance wasn’t “good enough”. He did throw a real head-scratching interception to the Lions, but he did make some magic happen with 242 passing yards and a touchdown.

Mason Rudolph may not be the next Patrick Mahomes or Josh Allen, but he can show that he’s made significant growth as a starting QB in training camp. He is also the favorite to be the next Steelers starting QB due to his combination of talent and “experience” with the Steelers offense. The NFL world witnessed Jameis Winston become a more talented, sharper QB after sitting behind Drew Brees in New Orleans. I wouldn’t say it’s wishful thinking to believe that Rudolph could have a similar outcome as a fourth-year player in 2021 that Winston had in 2021 as the Saints new starting QB.

Dwayne Haskins

Dwayne Haskins was a rockstar in college and that was evident with his 14-1 record in college. In 2018, Haskins placed third in Heisman voting. Kyler Murray would go on to win the award and get selected by the Arizona Cardinals first overall in 2019.

The former Ohio State Buckeye has been on a roller coaster ride in the professional football league thus far. The former 15th overall pick in 2019 flamed out of Washington after being given countless games as the starting QB. He had a rough rookie year, which is arguably expected from first year QBs in a lackluster system. Still, Haskins showed little growth and brought no spark to the Washington offense in year two. Matter, in fact, Haskins clearly regressed in year two as the starter. The former OSU QB threw 5 touchdowns, 7 interceptions, and unveiled a mere 6 yards per completion. Haskins was also ripped by former Washington great Joe Theisman and many media outlets for taking selfies with the crowd during the final seconds of a game. Haskins was supposed to be on the field taking a knee in victory formation, but he was taking in the glory too soon with the fans. Case Keenum had to run onto the field to close out the big win.

Haskins was axed by the no-nonsense coach Ron Rivera and left stranded without a home post-2020 season. The QB that was widely seen as a bust needed to find a program that could help utilize his physical gifts and a location that could help churn out a more robust work ethic. Thankfully, he founded the perfect team and mentor with the Pittsburgh Steelers and Mike Tomlin. The Steelers signed Haskins to a one-year, $850,000 deal in the 2021 offseason.

Haskins showed an impressive 86.8 QBR in the 2021 preseason while having 2 passing touchdowns and one interception. Unfortunately, he did have more hiccups in the 2021 season. Haskins has struggled with the repetitive professionalism required of being a professional athlete. In the Week 10 pre-game, Haskins was “checking his phone” and “throwing lousy passes”. It was clearly frustrating for the Steelers organization and fanbase to witness Haskins Haskins’s attitude in Week 10 after they gave him a second opportunity. Nonetheless, it was one notable error made by the hopeful QB in the 18 week season.

Haskins still flashed his excellence in practice sessions throughout the 2021 season. He did nicely catch the attention of the Steelers coaching staff and Tomlin from his overall effort in the 2021-2022 season. Tomlin clearly feels that Haskins has a real shot to be the next starting QB and that he’s put the work in 2021 to show them he’s grown as a football player and individual. It seems concrete that Dwayne Haskins will reunite with the Steelers on another “one-year prove-it deal”.

Verdict

Tomlin is a classy coach and he does believe that Haskins or Rudolph should be given the opportunity for the starting nod. With that said, it would be logical for the Steelers to add a QB in free agency or the draft. I don’t foresee the Steelers breaking the bank for a free agent QB, but they may add a veteran QB like Marcus Mariota or Andy Dalton to compete for the starting gig. Tomlin did say he wants a “mobile” QB to start moving forward. Mariota was arguably a Top 3 backup QB in 2021 for the Las Vegas Raiders and he’s only 28 years old.

Mariota had three straight winning seasons for the Tennessee Titans in 2016, 2017, and 2018. The former Oregon Duck was exceptional in his second season where he threw 26 touchdowns to nine interceptions. The once Titans QB lost his gig to the talented Ryan Tannehill, who is now yielding a Titans squad that has the first seed in the AFC. Mariota wasn’t completely thrown in the doghouse for poor performance. He lost the keys to the offense to a quality AFC quarterback. Mariota may also be a smart addition if the Steelers want to rotate him in for certain packages that include him running with the football. Mariota could help lessen the load with a younger QB by getting involved as a rotational QB.

If the Steelers have an opportunity to draft a Matt Corral from Ole Miss in round one, they should strike and groom him to be the future starting QB. If Corral isn’t a future Steeler, I’d be convinced that Rudolph is a better option than a Day 2 or Day 3 rookie QB in 2021. It isn’t clear by any means which QB will join the Steelers QB room, but Mariota, Dalton, or Corral would be smart 2021 starting options and profiles that could push Rudolph for the keys to the Ferrari.

I’d personally like to see Mariota added to the Steelers. He would be a great value pickup and he can be the “mobile” QB Tomlin desires. The Steelers also have the firepower and weapons to elevate Mariota’s passing game. If Rudolph does show enough ability and potential to be a “quality” starting QB, the Steelers can get creative and incorporate Mariota in a similar way that the Saints use Taysom Hill at QB. Mitchell Trubisky could be a sleeper option, as he displays a pleasant combination of athletic ability, arm talent, and age.

I’d love to see the Steelers select Matt Corral or make a trade up in the first round for Corral. The Ole Miss stud doesn’t only exhibit amazing accuracy, but he’s been timed at a 4.65 in the 40-yard dash. He has a modest, thick frame, as well. He isn’t 6’6 or even 6’4, but he does have a similar frame as Baker Mayfield and Aaron Rodgers (6’2, 205).

I don’t expect a team like the New Orleans Saints or Houston Texans to pick Corral. I feel confident that Sean Payton will want Russell Wilson or the proven Jameis Winston to capitalize off the talent they still have on the roster. The Steelers should be very pleased if they could have Mariota, Corral, Rudolph, and potentially Haskins in the QB room. The Steelers aren’t paying a fortune for Rudolph (contract expires in 2023) and Mariota wouldn’t demand money like Jameis Winston, so they could absolutely afford to have Mariota and Corral added to the roster.

The comparisons between the two current Steelers QBs are still fascinating in themselves. Haskins has mega arm talent, but Rudolph isn’t short on arm strength himself. The difference is that Rudolph can move the football consistently down the field and take care of the football better than the former Washington QB. Haskins has had notorious low YPC and he’s struggled with completing check-down passes to move the chain. Haskins will have to make special plays and take care of the football very well if he wants a chance to win the starting role. A positive note for Haskins is that he will have the toys (JuJu Smith-Schuster, Najee Harris, Diontae Johnson, Chase Claypool) to do so. We saw Winston light up the Jacksonville Jaguars defense with Marquez Callaway in the 2021 preseason and that was a big reason why he won the Saints QB competition against Taysom Hill. Haskins will have to be perfect throwing the ball down the field, make very few mistakes, and be consistent with his attitude if he wants to be the face of the franchise. If Haskins doesn’t win the competition but is able to show growth, he should still be positive about taking positive strides in his somewhat resurrected, young career.

All in all, I believe Rudolph has churned out improvements in his game well and he’s more mature than Haskins at this stage. Rudolph is clearly the Day 1 starter right now and he would be leading the team out of the tunnel if the season started today. I’d also be shocked if Rudolph isn’t the initial starting QB in training camp, even if a free agent QB like Mariota or first-round pick in Corral is added.

The post Mason Rudolph vs Dwayne Haskins: which Steelers QB has the edge? appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

By: Malcolm McMillan

Week 3 is just around the corner and already injuries are playing a massive role in fantasy football. These injury issues are always impactful, especially in redraft fantasy football leagues. Still, even dynasty fantasy football managers feel the impact of a major injury despite the deeper rosters.

If any reminder of that was needed, Thursday night’s game gave fantasy football managers one in a big way. In the third quarter against the Houston Texans, Carolina Panthers running back Christian McCaffrey went down and never came back. Now he is out for multiple weeks, and dynasty fantasy football managers rostering his backup, Chuba Hubbard, are rejoicing. They now either have a valuable trade asset or someone that can plug a hole in their lineup for a few games (at least).

All the players listed below are worth considering for exactly this reason. Either they could be valuable due to an injury, or they already are valuable due to injury. Either way, there is a good chance they should make it onto their roster.

Dwayne Haskins: QB, Pittsburgh Steelers

Pittsburgh Steelers starting quarterback Ben Roethlisberger has been dealing with a left pectoral injury all week. He missed the first practice of the week, and even Head Coach Mike Tomlin thinks that the hits are wearing on Roethlisberger. The combination of an existing injury, Roethlisberger’s (relatively) advanced age, and the weakness of the Steelers’ offensive line make Roethlisberger missing time a real possibility. His backup could be a valuable fantasy football asset, especially if they can play their way into becoming Big Ben’s successor.

Which is why you want Dwayne Haskins. The former first-round draft pick signed with the Steelers back in January after being cut by the Washington Football Team. If Roethlisberger were to miss time, Haskins and fellow backup quarterback Mason Rudolph would be duking it out to replace him. Rudolph has already been benched once as Roethlisberger’s backup for poor performance, and Tomlin going back to him by default is not a guarantee. Bet on Haskins instead of Rudolph if you are looking for a cheap fantasy football asset whose value could skyrocket if the player ahead of him goes down.

Jacques Patrick: RB, San Francisco 49ers

We have already seen an undrafted free agent journeyman and a sixth-round draft pick excel as the running back in Kyle Shanahan’s San Francisco 49ers offense. Why not another undrafted running back signed off another team’s practice squad? The 49ers have some serious issues at running back right now. Raheem Mostert is out for the season, JaMycal Hasty is out for multiple weeks, Elijah Mitchell is “very questionable,” and Trey Sermon is recovering from a concussion. Since the 49ers signed Patrick from the Cincinnati Bengals practice squad, he is already on the 53-man active roster and will be suiting up for a Week 3 matchup against the Green Bay Packers. If Sermon were to go down again, that would leave Patrick in line for a lead-back role with Mitchell out.

A word of caution, Patrick is likely not a long-term asset. He is more likely a weekly rental and then a sell-high candidate if he plays well. Mitchell and Sermon are likely the future of this backfield, and unless Patrick can outperform his career backup role and his below-average athletic profile, he will not supplant them. Even if he did turn some heads with his rushing ability this preseason.

Braxton Berrios: WR, New York Jets

Unlike the other two names on this list, Braxton Berrios is already succeeding this season. Despite being rostered in less than half of all dynasty leagues on Sleeper, and barely any redraft leagues, the New York Jets wide receiver is fantasy-relevant. Yes, Corey Davis may be leading the Jets wide receivers in fantasy football points in point-per-reception (PPR) formats, but Berrios is leading the team in targets. That target share is a big reason why Berrios has yet to have a game with less than 10 PPR fantasy football points this season.

While this workload feels doomed to regress, it is not a guarantee that Berrios is not already locking down a role. With a 57.97% snap share, he is definitely behind Elijah Moore and Corey Davis on the wide receiver depth chart in New York. However, everyone assumes that once all the Jets wide receivers are healthy, that Berrios will take a backseat. So far though, Keelan Cole failed to supplant him in Week 2, and Jamison Crowder struggles to even make it onto the field. At 25, Berrios is still young enough to have room to grow as a player, and the new regime in New York has no reason to be loyal to any players that cannot perform. Berrios is worth a stash as long as his connection with rookie quarterback Zach Wilson is intact.

The post Deep Fantasy Football Stashes For Week 3 appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

By: Chris Thomas

Now that the NFL is in the midst of their mandatory minicamps, quarterbacks competitions around the league have officially begun. Every year a couple of teams will have two (or three in rare cases) quarterbacks compete for the starting job. Quarterback competitions could be between two veterans, a veteran & a younger player, or an incumbent starter & a rookie. Every once in a while, a quarterback who many believe will lose the quarterback competition has a great camp and can be awarded the starting job.

There are a couple quarterbacks who may seem like long shots to win the starting quarterback job, but may end up being the Week One starter. Here are three quarterbacks who can surprise the league and be the Week One starter for their team.

Washington Football Team: Taylor Heinicke

The quarterback situation for the Washington Football team is not as open-and-shut as many believe it is. According to ESPN staff writer John Keim, Washington will still have a quarterback competition after signing Ryan Fitzpatrick to a one-year $10 million deal. The competition will be between Fitzpatrick, Kyle Allen, Taylor Heinicke, and Steven Montez.

After Fitzpatrick, the favorite to land the starting job is Taylor Heinicke. The former Old Dominion quarterback was back at school prepping for finals when Washington signed him to their practice squad. He was eventually promoted to the active roster and saw game action Week 16 against the Carolina Panthers. He completed 12 of his 19 passes for 137 yards and a touchdown in relief of Dwayne Haskins. Then when Alex Smith was ruled out for their playoff game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Heinicke was named the team’s starting quarterback. During that game, he completed 26 of his 44 passing attempts for 306 yards and one passing touchdown. On top of that, he had six rushing attempts for 46 yards and a rushing touchdown. The most impressive part of that game was the fact that the Heinicke-led Washington team was within eight points of taking down the eventual Super Bowl champions in the first round.

After coming into the year as the team’s fourth quarterback last season he is the favorite to be the team’s backup behind Fitzpatrick. However, it wouldn’t be shocking if Heinicke was named the Week 1 starter. After his performance in the playoffs, the team has rallied around Heinicke. He also showed that he is capable of taking control of an NFL offense and will lay it all on the line for his team. If Heinicke outshines Fitzpatrick in training camp, he could be Washington’s starter Week 1 against the Los Angeles Chargers.

Houston Texans: Davis Mills

The first draft selection of the Nick Caserio/David Culley era was former Stanford quarterback Davis Mills. Houston took Mills with the 67th overall pick in the third round. The selection was not a popular one because many thought Houston would have been better off taking a potential starter for another position of need with this selection over a project quarterback. But by selecting Mills in the first round the Texans administration feels that he could be their long-term starter and could even be their starter at this point this year. The Texans’ current quarterback room is made up of Mills, Tyrod Taylor, and Jeff Driskel. The belief is that former Pro Bowl quarterback Deshaun Watson will not play for the Houston Texans this season or ever again after his trade demands and his off-the-field concerns.

In a deep 2021 quarterback class Mills was considered a candidate to be the sixth quarterback drafted and the first one selected out of the first round. He ended up being the eighth quarterback drafted behind now-former Florida quarterback Kyle Trask who was taken by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 64th overall and former Texas A&M quarterback Kellen Mond who was taken by the Minnesota Vikings with the 66th overall pick. According to Chris Tomasson of the Pioneer Press, the Texans were prepared for select Mond with the 67th selection before Minnesota took him with the selection before.

Mills was a five-star recruit coming out of high school and the top quarterback coming out that year. However, Mills only had 11 career starts at Stanford. Mill redshirted his freshman year and only had two passing attempts his sophomore season. During his junior year, he completed 65.6% of his passes throwing for 1,960 yards, 11 touchdowns, and five interceptions in eight games. He took a slight leap forward during his senior year completing 66.2% of his passes throwing for 1,508 yards, seven touchdowns, and three interceptions. Mills also had three rushing touchdowns during his senior year.

It isn’t certain that Mills will become the Texans quarterback of the future. It is very possible that the team takes a quarterback in the first round next year and Mills becomes a high-end backup. However, after taking Mills with a high selection the Texans must give him starting reps at some point this season. He was taken as high as he was because of his upside. If Mills shows why he was such a highly regarded high school recruit and has flashes of the upside Houston saw in his tape during training camp, he could easily supplant Tyrod Taylor as the team’s starting quarterback next season as early as Week 1.

Philadelphia Eagles: Joe Flacco

After the 2020-21 NFL season it was believed that the Philadelphia Eagles would have a quarterback competition between Carson Wentz and 2020 Second Round pick Jalen Hurts to determine the team’s starter for this upcoming season. But instead, Philadelphia decided to trade Wentz to the Indianapolis Colts for a package of draft picks. Even with Wentz off of the roster new head coach Nick Sirianni still wants to have a quarterback competition to determine the starter for this upcoming season. The veterans that Hurts will have to compete with for the starting job are recently signed former 49ers quarterback Nick Mullens and former Super Bowl MVP Joe Flacco.

It has felt like a long time since Joe Flacco was considered a borderline Pro Bowl quarterback for the Baltimore Ravens. Eight years has passed since Flacco won the Super Bowl MVP winning Super Bowl XLVII against the San Fransisco 49ers. Since that point Flacco had been very average and then was replaced by Lamar Jackson late in the 2018-19 season after a neck injury.

He was traded to the Denver Broncos the following season for a fourth-round pick. He went 2-6 in eight games for the Broncos completing 65.3% of his passes and throwing for 1,822 yards, six touchdowns, and five interceptions. After injuring his neck Brandon Allen and 2019 second-round pick Drew Lock started the rest of the Broncos games that season.

Flacco was then released by Denver the next offseason and picked up by the New York Jets to be the backup to Sam Darnold. When Darnold missed four games due to a shoulder injury, Flacco played decently well as the starter. He completed 55.2% of his passes and throwing for 864 yards, six touchdowns, and three interceptions during that time.

After how Hurts played during his four starts last season it would be shocking if he was not the teams starting quarterback in year one. But if he has a rough camp and doesn’t show improvement in a new system with a healthy offense around him, Nick Sirianni may feel that the 13-year veteran may give them a better chance to win early on. It is important to note that Nick Sirianni has done a lot of more work with veteran pocket passers versus younger mobile quarterbacks like Hurts.

More backup QBs who can become starters later in the year

Minnesota Vikings: Kellen Mond

One of the biggest surprises of the 2021 NFL Draft was the Minnesota Vikings selecting Kellen Mond with the 66th selection in the third round. According to Mike Florio of ProFootball Talk, the Vikings were prepared to move up to the eighth overall selection to take Ohio State quarterback Justin Fields to eventually replace Kirk Cousins as the team’s starting quarterback. That didn’t work out and Fields ended up with division rival Chicago Bears. So their plan B was the take Texas A&M quarterback Kellen Mond in the third round to potentially fill that void. Similar to Fields, Mond is a mobile quarterback that may be rawer than Fields but has the upside to become an NFL starting quarterback.

In 2016 the Dallas Cowboys did not land Memphis quarterback Paxton Lynch in the first round and settled for Mississippi State quarterback Dak Prescott in the fourth round. It is fair to say that their plan B worked out for them extremely well. That is what Minnesota could hope for in Mond. If the Minnesota Vikings struggle early in the 2021-22 season, they could turn to Mond and see if he could potentially be the team’s long-term future at quarterback.

Pittsburgh Steelers: Mason Rudolph/Dwayne Haskins

After the Pittsburgh Steelers crushing playoff loss to the Cleveland Browns the biggest question surrounding the team was how would the team be constructed and whether Ben Roethlisberger would return for another season. Roethlisberger decided to return for his 17th season after taking a pay cut. He is expected to be the team’s starter in Week 1, but at this point of his career, Roethlisberger may not be capable of competing at a high level for a 17 game regular season and potential postseason play. Pittsburgh may have to evaluate their options in the house and make the tough decision of replacing Roethlisberger midseason with one of the younger quarterbacks on their roster.

Their quarterback situation this season may be similar to what the Super Bowl 50 Champion Denver Broncos’ was during the 2015-16 season. 2021 Pro Football Hall of Famer Peyton Manning only played in ten games during his finals season in Denver and was relieved by Brock Osweiler midway towards the season. But Manning returned as the team’s starter right before the playoffs and had enough in the tank to win the Super Bowl. That should be the blueprint for the Pittsburgh hopes to achieve this season with their aging quarterback and the younger quarterbacks behind him on the depth chart.

The battle for the backup job in Pittsburgh is between Mason Rudolph and 2019 first round pick Dwayne Haskins. Both have underachieved throughout their careers, but feel that they could be the Steelers long term option at quarterback if Roethlisberger decides to retire after this season. In 2019 Rudolph went 5-3 as a starter, but only threw for 1,765 yards, 13 touchdowns, and nine interceptions. Last season Rudolph threw for 324 yards two touchdowns, and an interception in five games (only one start).

Haskins spent his first two seasons in the league in Washington and was thrown in as the starter about midway through the season when he clearly wasn’t ready yet. In his first season, he went 2-5 as a starter, threw for 1,365 yards, seven touchdowns, and seven interceptions. The following season new head coach Ron Rivera made it clear early on that Haskins would have to earn the starting job and showed signs of not believing in him long term. Due to the lack of depth in the quarterback room, Haskins was named the starter and started six games for Washington last season. He went 1-5 as a starter, threw for 1,439 yards, five touchdowns, and seven interceptions. After a photo leaked of Haskins breaking COVID-19 protocol and attending a party with strippers, he was stripped of captain and later released after a brutal start against Rivera’s former team the Carolina Panthers. This offseason he signed a futures contract with the Steelers.

An interesting transaction that occurred this offseason is that the Steelers did give Rudolph a one year extension after this season worth $5 million. That is a sign that they view him as the potential replacement for Roethlisberger long-term or is comfortable with him competing for the job with Haskins or a rookie next season. It would be hard to imagine one if not both of these quarterbacks getting a shot at being the teams starting quarterback for a couple games this season to preview what their quarterback situation could look like next season and beyond.

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