Pittsburgh Steelers

Steelers could replace Roethlisberger with Rudolph or Haskins

Published Feb. 14, 2022 10:22 p.m. ET

It was Jan. 27 when the Pittsburgh Steelers officially heard the news that they had long been expecting: Ben Roethlisberger was calling it a career after 18 seasons.

"The journey has been exhilarating, defined by relationships and fueled by a spirit of competition," the 39-yeard-old Miami (Ohio) product said. "Yet, the time has come to clean out my locker, hang up my cleats, and continue to be all I can be to my wife and children. I retire from football a truly grateful man."

When a player who has been such an important part of a franchise heads into retirement — and in this case, an eventual trip to the Pro Football Hall of Fame — thoughts immediately turn to the question of what comes next. How do the Steelers replace Roethlisberger, and with whom?

One thing is certain: It will be a difficult task. As Steelers Hall of Famer Jerome Bettis recently said, "You just don't replace Hall of Fame quarterbacks that easily."

For starters, let's look at the players they already have in-house.

Mason Rudolph

The 26-year-old out of Oklahoma State is the only quarterback on the roster who, barring a trade or his release, is sure to be under contract for next season. The three-year veteran will not be a free agent until 2023.

Rudolph has played in 17 games (starting 10) in his three seasons in Pittsburgh. But only one of those starts came this season, when Roethlisberger missed Week 10 against Detroit due to a positive COVID test. Rudolph completed 30 of his 50 passes for 242 yards, one touchdown and one interception in a 16-16 tie.

Rudolph saw the most action in his rookie season of 2019 when he passed for 1,765 yards, 13 touchdowns and nine interceptions in 10 games (eight starts).

Dwayne Haskins

The third-year quarterback out of Ohio State was only active for one game this past season when he served as Rudolph's backup against the Lions. He did not see on-field action this season.

It was Haskins' first season with the Steelers after he spent his first two with Washington (now the Commanders). Haskins played in 16 games (starting 13) in his time in Washington, passing for 2,804 yards, 12 touchdowns and 14 interceptions.

Haskins is a restricted free agent, meaning he is free to negotiate with any team, but the Steelers can make him a qualifying offer that would come with right of first refusal and/or draft-pick compensation.

Joshua Dobbs

A fourth-round pick out of Tennessee in 2017, Dobbs has never started an NFL game. He has played in six games, completing 10 of 17 passes for 45 yards, no touchdowns and one interception.

He is an unrestricted free agent and thus can sign with any team, but it's unclear what level of interest Dobbs would attract on the market.

Other options

At the moment, it appears that Rudolph is the favorite to take the reins from Roethlisberger, but the Steelers could also look outside their organization for help.

Pittsburgh has the 20th pick in the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft, and most analysts consider the quarterback class to be light.

As FOX Sports NFL Draft Analyst Rob Rang wrote last month: "This year’s QB crop is a solid one, but it pales in comparison to that of a year ago. Not a single passer is viewed as a top-10 lock, and perhaps only the most QB-needy teams in the league are likely to consider gambling a first-round selection on the position.

"That said, the QB group has been enriched by some talented underclassmen, with Mississippi’s Matt Corral arguably the most gifted dual-threat available. Nevada’s Carson Strong and Western Michigan’s Kaleb Eleby intrigue scouts with accuracy to all levels of the field (albeit against lesser competition), and North Carolina’s gritty Sam Howell boasts the intangibles every team is looking for at the position."

If the Steelers don't find a QB to their liking in the draft, they could always take a look at the free-agent market for a veteran to keep the seat warm until they do. Pittsburgh currently has plenty of money to spend — $32 million in cap space, the ninth-largest amount in the NFL — and Ryan Fitzpatrick, Andy Dalton and Cam Newton are among the well-known veterans who will be unrestricted free agents.

It's also possible the Steelers could look to take a big swing via a trade.

Will Steelers draft a QB, or trade for one?

NFL reporter Albert Breer joins Colin Cowherd to discuss all things NFL, including the Pittsburgh Steelers' plans going forward at the quarterback position.

There are a number of high-profile veterans thought to be either on the trade block or unhappy with their current teams, including the Packers' Aaron Rodgers, the Seahawks' Russell Wilson, the Texans' Deshaun Watson and the Colts' Carson Wentz.

Keep in mind, though, that Pittsburgh's highest draft pick in the upcoming draft is No. 20 overall, and it only possesses six total picks, limiting the assets it has to offer.