Detroit Lions Tabbed To Make Quarterback Trade With Pittsburgh Steelers Ahead Of Week 1
This article was originally published on Total Pro Sports.
The Detroit Lions could look to Pittsburgh if they decide to add more experience behind their starting quarterback.
The Lions face questions at the backup quarterback spot after Teddy Bridgewater retired during training camp. Detroit signed Joshua Dobbs, but his preseason performance did not fully settle in.
That could make Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Mason Rudolph an interesting option. Christopher Kline of FanSided recently listed Rudolph as a popular trade candidate after Pittsburgh kept four quarterbacks on its roster.
Mason Rudolph Could Give Detroit More Experience
Pittsburgh currently has Aaron Rodgers, Mason Rudolph, Drew Allar and Will Howard in its quarterback room. Kline believes Rudolph could face the most uncertainty among the group.
“The Steelers kept all four quarterbacks on their roster: Aaron Rodgers, Mason Rudolph, Drew Allar and Will Howard,” Kline wrote.
Kline also mentioned, “While Rodgers and probably Allar are the only names exempt from trade speculation, Rudolph feels more vulnerable than Howard at this stage. The latter didn’t exactly impress in preseason action, but he’s only in his second NFL season, with greater upside than Rudolph and plenty of organizational faith in his abilities.”
Rudolph brings something Detroit may want, experience.
He enters his seventh NFL season with 19 career starts. He owns a 9-9-1 record in those games. As a backup, Rudolph has completed 64.4% of his 738 career passes. He has thrown 30 touchdowns and 22 interceptions.
Those numbers compare favorably with Dobbs. Dobbs owns a 62.8% completion rate in 15 career starts and has gone 3-12 in those games. He has thrown 17 touchdowns and 15 interceptions on 559 attempts.
Detroit also has rookie Luke Altmyer, but the Lions appear willing to give him time to develop. Altmyer cleared waivers and returned to the practice squad, which leaves Detroit with limited proven depth.
Still, a trade for Rudolph may not come easily.
The Steelers have two young quarterbacks in Howard and Allar, but neither has NFL starting experience. Pittsburgh could keep Rudolph as insurance behind Rodgers while the younger players continue their development.
The Steelers want to win now while grooming their future. Rodgers and Rudolph give them experience for 2026, setting up young ones like Howard and Allar to battle for bigger roles down the road.
That leaves Pittsburgh facing a tough call. Detroit could definitely use Rudolph’s veteran presence, but the Steelers might value his insurance policy too much to simply let him go. The Lions can pick up the phone, but it will all come down to the asking price.
