Mason Rudolph And The Bucs
March 9th, 2023
“I don’t make the budget rules, Mr. Glazer.”
Todd Bowles is on record saying he wants two veteran quarterbacks on the Tampa Bay roster competing with incumbent No. 3 quarterback Kyle Trask for the starting job.
Bowles also is on record saying the Bucs will be budget-conscious when seeking those veterans.
So who’s it going to be? Joe looks at Steelers backup No. 2/No. 3 quarterback Mason Rudolph and believes he might fit the team’s vision of a competitive QB candidate.
A Pittsburgh third-round pick in 2018, Rudolph was unlike many backups on a rookie contract. Before his fourth season, he signed a contract extension with the Steelers that put about $5 million more in his pocket. And apparently there was apparently strong demand in the league for his services last summer, even after the Steelers signed Mitch Trubisky last March and drafted rookie QB Kenny Pickett in April.
Compare that to Bucs backup Blaine Gabbert, who always seems to hit free agency and can’t find work outside Tampa.
Rudolph, 27, has a 5-4-1 record as a starter, with most of that action coming in 2019 filling in for Ben Roethlisberger. He publicly talked last winter about how fired up he was to finally compete for a starting job, and then the Steelers drafted in Pickett in the first round. Rudolph didn’t play in a game last season as the No. 3 QB.
Of course, Joe is not excited about Rudolph potentially coming to Tampa, only noting that he’s the kind of quarterback the Bucs might be chasing.
In addition to lasting five years in a strong program, Rudolph has dealt with multiple offensive coordinators and has been around a Hall of Fame veteran quarterback. The Steelers’ general manager talked about bringing him back last week.
Perhaps Rudolph could be the next Geno Smith.
March 9th, 2023 at 9:05 am
Jacoby Brissett and Drew Lock are my guesses.
March 9th, 2023 at 9:07 am
As long as the tank is happening I don’t mind
March 9th, 2023 at 9:14 am
Brissett yes. Lock no. Rudolph > Lock.
March 9th, 2023 at 9:20 am
“Insert QB name here” and the Bucs
March 9th, 2023 at 9:23 am
this needs to be a Gabbert and Trask show down. they know the staff, the building, the players, and the city. there is nobody out there that would cost less then Gabbert and play better then him for our situation. Gabbert has already proven to be a solid back up for this team anyways.
March 9th, 2023 at 9:24 am
Hell to the no. He’s awful. I can’t even believe he hung on with Pitt for as long as he did. 3rd stringer at best. Go look at his numbers when he did play. NO WAY. Lock NO WAY. And please dont compare everyone as the next Geno. What happened with Geno is an outlier… like one of out every 20 QB retreads…
March 9th, 2023 at 9:41 am
I’ll go Andrew Fish + 1. Go with Trask, re-sign Gabbert and draft Max Duggan from TCU. There’s no money left to be wasted on older or lesser value veteran QB’s!
March 9th, 2023 at 9:43 am
At least you are being more realistic with this post…
March 9th, 2023 at 9:45 am
@ John
Max Duggan is an interesting QB prospect… If he is still available in the later rounds I would consider it.
March 9th, 2023 at 9:50 am
IMO…Drew Lock is the key FA QB needed in TB.
He knows the system being brought in, is going to be cheap in FA & is still very young. But has enough starting experience to be a valuable BU QB asset for Bucs even if he loses QB1 comp to Trask in camp.
March 9th, 2023 at 9:54 am
Goatfarmer Says:
March 9th, 2023 at 9:14 am
Brissett yes. Lock no. Rudolph > Lock.
^^^^^^^^
I’m picking Lock because of his familiarity with Canales.
March 9th, 2023 at 9:57 am
Mason Rudolph and Kyle Trask are sorta the same guy in terms of their style of play
March 9th, 2023 at 10:05 am
Sounds like it will be a classic Bucs QB controversy if he comes to town
March 9th, 2023 at 10:05 am
Or maybe he isn’t the next Geno Smith but the next Taylor Heinicke. The last I checker he handled our defense pretty well when we played the Redskins the last time, I mean the Commanders.
March 9th, 2023 at 10:11 am
Any port in a storm.
March 9th, 2023 at 10:12 am
I BELIEVE I WOULD DRAFT THE BEST CORNER OR SAFETY AVAILABLE & OR THE BEST O.LINEMAN OR DE (SACK MASTER ) AVAILABLE..THAT TOP RUNNING BACK THATS BEEN MENTIONED ALSO WOULD NOT BE A BAD CHOICE..BEST SACKING LINEBACKER AVAILABLE WOULD NOT BE A BAD 1ST CHOICE EITHER ( WE HAVE SO MANY WEAKNESSES THAT NEED STRENGTHENED THIS YEAR ) GOT TO GET A VETERAN QUARTERBACK TO BACKUP KYLE..( I WANTED BAKER MAYFIELD)YOUNG QB OUT OF TENNESSEE OR KENTUCKY ARE GOOD ROOKIES ( SINCE MY FAVORITE FROM THE BEGINNING “ANTHONY RICHARDSON” WILL ALREADY BE GONE..
March 9th, 2023 at 10:19 am
How come nobody talks about Gardner Minshew? He was solid and consistent in all the games he started, including Jacksonville! Bring that swag to Tampa please!
March 9th, 2023 at 10:23 am
Best known for taking a helmet off his dome and crying on National TV.
This is rather depressing…a 30 for 30 “From Brady To Bums”. There are only a dozen or so QBs on the planet capable of leading a team to a championship ( with very rare exceptions ). Tough to replace a legend…
March 9th, 2023 at 10:30 am
Mason Rudolph? I’d rather just play Trask (who is awful) instead.
March 9th, 2023 at 10:44 am
Stetson
March 9th, 2023 at 10:54 am
Sounds like Drew Lock Canales buddy and sad Sam Donald Bowles buddy at least they are mobile.
March 9th, 2023 at 11:07 am
Hey TOMMY MORDUE,
STOP YELLING! Turn off the GD caps lock! It’s obnoxious.
March 9th, 2023 at 11:18 am
Lol lol 😂😂😂 if they tank we are going to suck for the next 10 years!!!
March 9th, 2023 at 11:19 am
Personally, I’d like to see Mike White as one of our pickups. He’s on record saying he wants to compete for a starting job, and he’s a local kid who played for USF. I can see Drew Locke coming because of his experience with the new OC, but Cooper Rush is another option.
March 9th, 2023 at 11:46 am
OH NO….Please NO…..Rudolph is not the guy! Please NO-NO-NO….
March 9th, 2023 at 11:49 am
OH NO….Please NO…..Rudolph is not the guy! Please NO-NO-NO….Much rather them get Baker and draft someone in later rounds
March 9th, 2023 at 11:52 am
Eff off. Effing ridiculous. Do better Joe(s)
March 9th, 2023 at 12:52 pm
“Swag” Joe’s arse. The Jags drafted a guy to replace him. That “swag” got them the first pick in the draft. LOL! Unless Bucs really are tanking for Caleb Williams, hell no!
March 9th, 2023 at 1:08 pm
incumbent No. 3 quarterback Kyle Trask for the starting
I’m positive Joe meant No. 1 quarterback since he is the only QB on the roster.
March 9th, 2023 at 2:10 pm
I like Brissett
March 9th, 2023 at 2:10 pm
When he says veteran hopefully he still wants some upside. Wentz, Mayfield, darnold. Please no vet with no upside who is a backup at best.
March 9th, 2023 at 2:24 pm
Minshew and Nick Foles have both produced under pressure in the past.
March 9th, 2023 at 2:49 pm
If the Bucs are on record of wanting 2 veteran QBs to compete with Trask, then they don’t plan on drafting a QB. Unless they are going to continue to keep 4 QBs, wasting another roster spot again.
March 9th, 2023 at 2:53 pm
People here comment as if it matters who the Bucs pick. Whoever it is they sign will be a low quality quarterback, and it really matters not who it is. It will be challenging enough with a quarterback expected to start who never has started a game in the league … but depending upon guys who’ve produced mostly Ls will be no improvement, only a last ditch insurance policy so that the team doesn’t have to order a running back or wide receiver to throw the ball in a real game.
March 9th, 2023 at 3:54 pm
Joe in MI – yep, aware of Drew Lock and Canales, familiarity and all. Ryan Griffin was familiar with BA’s offense too.
March 9th, 2023 at 6:32 pm
@Joe Yes Swag Joe! Minshew has way more swag than Lock, mayfield and Mason Stinking Rudolph. Just have to look at the stats when he played for the worst team in the league, over 23 games: 38 TD, 11 int, 5,500 yards and 64% completion rate. That’s without Evan engram and Christian Kirk, but rather shenault and chark. Mason Rudolph in 17 games: 2,366 yards, 16 tds, 11 int, 62% completion. Bring them handlebars to Tampa and draft a rookie! And for the record, I think Trask will succeed.
March 9th, 2023 at 7:06 pm
Goatfarmer: How long did Ryan Griffin stick around in Tampa because of that familiarity? Eight years, thank you for proving my point!
March 9th, 2023 at 7:26 pm
I heard Stafford is on the block. Given his injury history and age, mayne he could be had for a mid round pick? I think he could be a great bridge QB, compete with Trask and if he gets injured or underperforms, Trask can step in. Arians also loves Stafford. Money could be an issue but I think this would be a great fit if they were able to make it work.
March 9th, 2023 at 7:54 pm
*Four years in the Arians offense.
March 9th, 2023 at 8:22 pm
OR Buc:
Compared to Mason Rudolph, Mike Glennon has “swag.” LOL
March 9th, 2023 at 9:23 pm
Joe:
Point taken on swag reference, related to Jax days, haha. Was meaning more so swag in reference to persona. Just type his name and swag into Google and you know what I’m sayin. I like a QB with some confidence and swag aka Joe Cool Burrow. Especially ones with better stats than all the other young retreads being linked to Bucs, lol.
March 9th, 2023 at 9:27 pm
Tampa should look at veteran QB willing to work with Trask. Nick Foles who is a cool head in chaos would be a good add to the roster.
March 10th, 2023 at 9:09 am
MAYFIELD OR GRAP.