Who Should I Start? Mason Rudolph or Justin Fields

Wednesday, May 28, 11:59 AM

Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Mason Rudolph opened OTAs with the first-team offense on Tuesday, according to Brooke Pryor of ESPN. This news isn't much of a surprise, but it does confirm head coach Mike Tomlin's vision as full-team practices get underway this summer. Presumably, the starting quarterback job is Rudolph's to lose, barring an external quarterback addition such as Aaron Rodgers or Kirk Cousins. Rudolph's internal competition comes from Skylar Thompson and rookie Will Howard. Thompson has completed just 58.7 percent of his career passes with one touchdown, three interceptions, and two fumbles. He primarily served as a backup over three seasons in Miami. Meanwhile, Howard is a rookie who impressed at Ohio State, but he has suboptimal draft capital as a sixth-round pick. On the other hand, Rudolph has shown flashes of potential during his time with the Steelers (2018-2023) and Titans (2024). In Tennessee last year, he completed 64 percent of his passes for 1,530 yards, nine touchdowns, and nine interceptions.

Saturday, May 31, 1:44 PM

New York Jets quarterback Justin Fields thinks he could be on the cusp of a breakout season in a new location. "I think I can be great," Fields said. "That's been the goal for me my whole life, my whole career. I think the sky's the limit for this team, for this offense, but we do have a long way to go." Fields signed a two-year, $40 million deal in March and is on his third team after being taken 11th overall by the Chicago Bears in 2021 out of Ohio State. The 26-year-old is also working with his fourth different offensive coordinator in five years. He's known for his elite running ability, but the Jets' goal is to make Fields a complete QB. In his last 12 games, Field has gone 8-4 with 17 total TDs and only seven turnovers. Before that, he went 6-26 with 46 TDs and 35 turnovers. Because of his rushing upside along, Fields will be a high-end QB2, and if he can improve as a passer, QB1 production could follow.