PITTSBURGH -- This offseason doesn't have to be as complicated as expected, at least not in regard to the most important position on the field.
If the Pittsburgh Steelers truly believe in Mason Rudolph, they will part ways with Ben Roethlisberger and hand him the reins.
It's the perfect time -- the obvious time, really -- but only if the Steelers believe in Rudolph and that first-round grade they put on him three years ago. They traded up to draft him 76th overall, you'll recall.
We'll also know very soon if the Steelers do not believe in him.
You don't make a starter-in-waiting, if indeed Rudolph fits that description, sit for a fourth year. Especially not under these circumstances. It would be one thing if Aaron Rodgers were the starter. Roethlisberger's a different case. He's due a $15 million roster bonus in March, the same month he turns 39. He looked to be fading late in the season and is scheduled to consume more than 40% of next year's pandemic-reduced salary cap.
The Steelers drafted Rudolph as Roethlisberger's future replacement. The future's here. This should be a no-brainer -- but only if you're convinced Rudolph's the answer.
More accurately, only if the Steelers are convinced of it.
Are they?
I have my doubts.
They've talked a good game for most of Rudolph's three-year career. Their actions haven't always backed the talk. Just last season, when their biggest games rolled around, they chose Duck Hodges over him.
During his season-ending news conference Wednesday, Mike Tomlin was asked if he'd be comfortable with Rudolph as his starter next season, should it come to that. The question came in the wake of Rudolph's quality performance at Cleveland in the regular season finale. Tomlin easily could have delivered one of his patented one-word answers, such as, "Certainly."
He did not.
"I thought [Rudolph] displayed that he took a step in growth and development with his performance, even though it was a small sample size," Tomlin said. "And I would imagine he's going to continue with that growth and development, and so we'll see where that leads us in terms of what he's able to provide us. I'm excited he was able to display that, and I think it's reasonable for me to expect, and for him, to expect that general trajectory to continue."
So if that "general trajectory" continues, Rudolph might be the starter by age 40?
Listen, I don't blame the Steelers if they don't see Rudolph as a guy who can take them places. He threw an impressive deep ball against the Browns, but his pocket awareness, ability to throw receivers open and escapability remain troublesome. I still believe Roethlisberger is the best option for next season, cap hit and all (and there are ways to reduce the hit).
But it's impossible to decipher the team's feelings toward Roethlisberger at this point, too. If they want him back, they have a funny way of showing it. They let go of his hand-picked coordinator, Randy Fichtner, on Thursday.
Also, Tomlin could have put all doubts to rest when he was asked Wednesday about Roethlisberger's status for next season. He could have said, "Are you kidding? He's a Hall of Famer. He can still play. Of course we want him back. He's our guy."
That was the team's position last offseason, after Roethlisberger went under the knife. This year, the best Tomlin could muster was, "It's reasonable to assume there's a chance he will be back."
And that was a day before the Steelers fired Fichtner.
Does Ben want to learn a new offense under an outside coordinator, and have less control of said offense? Will the Steelers stay in-house with Matt Canada? Will they ask Roethlisberger to take a pay cut?
One thing's for sure: The quarterback decision is the biggest one the Steelers face this offseason, and if they truly believe in the guy they drafted to replace Roethlisberger, they'll give him the ball.
But do they?