A kind of out-there question

[jitter77]

If Mason plays well and gets the offense rolling then i don't see how they can bench him for 2 more years. It definitely sucks for Ben, but that is kinda how he got his start. If Rudolph plays well ABs they trade him i think that would be terrible business. We are only going to get another year or 2 out of Ben so why risk the future?

 

[SteelerInLebanon]

I read it wrong, Lol, was tired. My thought was a little different, Mason lights it up but Ben comes back looking good trade Mason for picks to shore up the roster for Ben's last two years.

 

[MT~Forged]

I read it wrong, Lol, was tired. My thought was a little different, Mason lights it up but Ben comes back looking good trade Mason for picks to shore up the roster for Ben's last two years.

I don’t think this mindset is productive for the team. IF Rudolph does do well, you then want to deal him, and start over in 1-2 years? This is exactly what destroys a team going forward.

 

[mdk2]

I don’t think this mindset is productive for the team. IF Rudolph does do well, you then want to deal him, and start over in 1-2 years? This is exactly what destroys a team going forward.

You don’t trade Mason, you sit him behind Ben til he retires in a year or two.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Hines57]

If Mason puts up a good to great performance, and Ben really does come back, do we trade him, ala Peyton Manning?

Might be interesting.

It presents a worst case situation for the franchise. Lets see how it plays out before we answer this question.

 

[greenleader]

I'd trade anyone if the other team wanted them bad enough to make it worthwhile.

 

[MT~Forged]

You don’t trade Mason, you sit him behind Ben til he retires in a year or two.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I guess we will see who’s plan gets implemented. You plan to demote the kid no matter what, I say this is now his job to lose and Ben only plays again if he ***** the bed.

 

[steelhurt]

I think it’s a non issue. Mason I believe will play well but still don’t think any better than 8-8. Team has too many issues to overcome and poor coaching to do much better.
I do think however that this will now become Mason’s team since I don’t think Ben will come back. This will take lots of rehab and at 37 how much does he really want to go through this rigorous schedule. Plenty of input most likely from Ben’s wife too I’ll bet to retire and spend more time with family.
He’s got more money than he could ever spend and still gets paid this year so giving up those last two years is not that much of a stretch.


Sent from my iPhone using Steeler Nation mobile app

 

[madinsomniac]

You don’t trade Mason, you sit him behind Ben til he retires in a year or two.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Yes, for the most part... There are four ways this goes...
1 If Mason is lights out like Ben was after Maddox went down and we win huge with him... or he just balls out statwise while the highly pedigreed defense loses us games, then yeah maybe we move on from Ben even if he comes back.... it happened to manning, favre, and Montana... its not that uncommon actually....
2 if Mason is starting caliber, but not looking like a potential HOF guy right now yet still has potential to improve, then if ben comes back he is the starter, and mason becomes a Rodgers or young type heir in waiting
3. If Mason is looking like a starter, but not The Franchise.. just a guy, and you get a really good offer for him and ben is coming back, then you deal Rudolph and Ben starts... hodges moves to the 2 role. If there isn’t a deal to be made he just becomes the 2 unless hodges beats him out...
4. Mason sucks... there is great weeping and gnashing of teeth... Ben is valued again and the desperation for a heir intensifies

 

[fedderone]

Most of this is IF scenarios. So...........

IF Mason proves he belongs, and shows he can run the offense, and makes all the throws, and has the confidence of the team, and can move the team up and down the field, and commands the huddle, and basically does all the things you look for in a starting QB, then the Steelers have a REAL TOUGH decision to make in the off-season.

If you look up my previous posts, I've never been a real fan of Big Biker......the human being.
But he can play ball.
I understand loyalty, I understand he was part of 2 SB winning teams, I understand he's been the best QB we've had since Terry, I understand he's the tough SOB player we've all come to love on our Steelers, ala Lambert, and Troy, and Hines, Webby, etc.......

HOWEVER, Ben is 37 and he'll be 38 when the season starts next year.
He has taken a beating, especially in his younger years when we had paper mache' turnstiles for an O-Line and Arians had him 10 step dropping EVERY play for deep balls only.
His body is breaking down.
He is far closer to the end of his career than the beginning.
Unfortunately, this football is a business. And the Steelers must do what's best for the TEAM......even if it means jettisoning Ben in favor of Mason.
The 49ers sent Montana packing. The Packers sent Favre.......packing. The Colts sent Peyton Manning packing.
it happens. We are not special in this regard.

And again, this is ALL contingent upon Rudolph's play the rest of this season.
IF he is merely average, or flat out sucks, then the Steelers don't have to have any issue this coming off season.
IF Ben rehabs and his arm is right, then he gets the starting job back.
But if Rudolph balls out, or even remotely looks like he can be the next guy, then the Steelers are in a VERY unenviable position.
It will suck because it's never easy in that type situation.

 

[Drink IRON City]

All kinds of if's and's and butt's.................................... whichever is the best at the time, wins the job.

With our coaching, pedigree usually beats out talent, so there is that.




Salute the nation

 

[wig]

Mason has the physical and mental tools to be a damn good QB.

He could be a damn good QB and still only be half the QB Ben is.

I'll tell you what. If Rudolph leads the league in yards this year, as Roethlisberger did last year, or if he even TIES for the lead in yards this year, as Roethlisberger did a couple years back with Brees, then I would consider sitting the H.O.F. QB for the backup who played while the H.O.F. guy was out with an injury.

Fair enough?

 

[suncitysteel]

All that from 2 quarters of football.

I hope Mason does great. He isn't Ben though, sorry. For some reason some want to say Ben is done because of 6 quarters of play this season when he was hurt for atleast 2 of those quarters. At the same time, say Mason is the franchise QB now after 2 QTRs and we lost the game. It's a little extreme.

I'm guessing that's why the OP titled this thread, "A kind of out-there question".

Fact is, it's fine - and sometimes fun- to speculate and toss around "what-if" scenarios. Message boards are a perfect forum for that. Speaking of... If you had the ability to go back to 2001 and visit Patriots message boards, you'd find that the NE fans were likely in a similar state of doom after Bledsoe went down and some unknown 6th round backup QB by the name of Brady came in. Not equating Ben/Bledsoe or Rudolph/Brady, but what we DO know is that not one of us knows what the future holds.

 

[Djfan]

I'm guessing that's why the OP titled this thread, "A kind of out-there question".

Fact is, it's fine - and sometimes fun- to speculate and toss around "what-if" scenarios. Message boards are a perfect forum for that. Speaking of... If you had the ability to go back to 2001 and visit Patriots message boards, you'd find that the NE fans were likely in a similar state of doom after Bledsoe went down and some unknown 6th round backup QB by the name of Brady came in. Not equating Ben/Bledsoe or Rudolph/Brady, but what we DO know is that not one of us knows what the future holds.

Pretty much nailed it.

 

[Omar10213245]

Ben should be our qb until he decides to retire regardless of what Mason does. Ben has proven himself since he stepped onto the field.

Sent from my LM-X410(FG) using Steeler Nation mobile app

really? i know this isn't likely, but say rudolph shocks the world and leads this team on a HUGE run, steelers finish the season 13-3, rudolph throw for something like 5000 yards, 32-35 TD's, less than 7 INT's, and we make it to either the AFCCG or Superbowl, and it's clear that the team has rallied around, and loves playing with, mason rudolph? its still Ben's job no matter what?? Nah, sorry. Ben is great and all, and we'll always have a special place in our hearts for the big lug, but if he insists that he should be made starter again, after THOSE circumstances, It's time to find a trade partner at that point.

 

[Penguins&Steelers]

I guess we will see who’s plan gets implemented. You plan to demote the kid no matter what, I say this is now his job to lose and Ben only plays again if he ***** the bed.

This is the move IMO. If Mason lights it up, he's our guy for the future. Can't bench him.


Sorta like the Murray Fleury situation to a lesser than extent. Fleury was probably the Better overall goalie but you gotta roll with the young kid for the future.

Sent from my Pixel 3a using Steeler Nation mobile app

 

[Djfan]

This is the move IMO. If Mason lights it up, he's our guy for the future. Can't bench him.


Sorta like the Murray Fleury situation to a lesser than extent. Fleury was probably the Better overall goalie but you gotta roll with the young kid for the future.

This was pretty much the nature of my question. It may be a long shot. It may come to pass. We don't know.

 

[Vader]

This is the move IMO. If Mason lights it up, he's our guy for the future. Can't bench him.


Sorta like the Murray Fleury situation to a lesser than extent. Fleury was probably the Better overall goalie but you gotta roll with the young kid for the future.

Sent from my Pixel 3a using Steeler Nation mobile app

You don't sit a HOF QB that can still play. Fleury was left uncovered because of the expansion draft. I'm sure they would have loved to keep both but the rules wouldn't let them. Mason is not Ben. This isn't Favre vs. Rodgers.

 

[MT~Forged]

It could very well be Favre vs Rogers or even Montana vs Young, most likely not, but who knows at this point. When Maddox went down, they were pretty sure what they had in Ben, but he could just have easily been Ryan Leaf. Only time will tell

 

[Vader]

It could very well be Favre vs Rogers or even Montana vs Young, most likely not, but who knows at this point. When Maddox went down, they were pretty sure what they had in Ben, but he could just have easily been Ryan Leaf. Only time will tell

Those are different scenarios however. Ben was a rookie 11th overall draft pick. Maddox wasn't a HOF QB and he was just keeping the seat warm. Montana and Young aren't the same either because Young played in Tampa Bay 2 years before coming to SF. Plus he was 36 years old at the time and most QBs back then didn't last long.

Sorry but Ben is a HOF and the Steelers aren't going to sit him if he can play.

 

[stuntmanmike]

we were at the Oklahoma vs Oklahoma state shootout mason vs numbnutz that plays for that other team in Ohio and Mason was just as good if not better than numbnutz no reason not to have high expectations he came out in a year when a lot of more heralded Qbs were in the draft but Manson was right up there talent wise. he's had a year to learn and get ready. if the receivers get open mason will get them the ball! we got to get our groove back we just aint been getting it done on the field ya lot of that's coaching putting players in position to make plays but we need a spark no reason to believe mason and Fitz can't give us that spark! goooo stttteeeeeeelerrrrrrr!!!!!!!!

 

[Steelr4evr]

I hope Mason lights it up. It looks like the team is going all in considering the in season big trade they did. Which is way out of normal operations for them.

 

[Steeltime]

In my view, teams that win and then advance in the playoffs have star players. Stars dominate when the game is on the line. Stars force the other teams to plan for them, change their approach. Steelers have a couple of stars on defense now - Watt and Fitz. We'll see about Bush in the next 3-4 weeks. If he pans out, they have 3 stars on defense that teams need to plan around, worry about, etc.

The problem, as Spike argues, is that they have no stars at all on offense. Ben is a star but he's gone for the year. Conner may be pretty good, but he has a way to go, including health issues, to be a star. Juju is very good, but not a star.

They basically need Rudolph and Juju to turn into stars. Not an easy chore.

 

[Tibs]

The problem, as Spike argues, is that they have no stars at all on offense. Ben is a star but he's gone for the year. Conner may be pretty good, but he has a way to go, including health issues, to be a star. Juju is very good, but not a star.

In the short term, they need the O-line to step up and be the 'stars' on offense. Talking mainly about Pouncey & DeCastro, those guys have to rally and lead the way. We have to establish a run game, that starts up front. I expect Rudolph to pick his spots and take his chances. I think most people - including the 49ers - expect him to be conservative and try to 'manage' the offense, to be tentative, etc. From what I've seen and heard about Rudolph, particularly at Oklahoma State, he's got a bit of that gunslinger mentality that may serve him well.

If I'm Tomlin, I take zero chances with Moncrief and sit him for this game. Put Washington & Johnson out there with JuJu and give Rudolph a chance to open it up a little. Most importantly, they have to get their running game going. It's been atrocious past two games. Hope Conner & Samuels - and maybe a dash of Benny Snell - can provide that spark.

They basically need Rudolph and Juju to turn into stars. Not an easy chore.

Agreed, perhaps that will come with time. I think it's a game-by-game, quarter-by-quarter mentality right now. And the defense has a huge role of keeping things within reach next few games.

For ***** and giggles, it seems like an opportune time to cue up some Oklahoma State highlights, to see how aggressive Mason can be, given free reign in the passing game.

When they drafted Rudolph & Washington back-to-back last year, I thought, gee that will be fun to see these two 3-4 years from now, to see that connection in the NFL. Clearly, that time is now, even if it came a few years earlier than anticipated.

 

[Steeltime]

First pass in that highlight video of Rudolph, defender is in his face, he stands tall and delivers a good ball downfield. That matters a ton in the NFL. A freaking ton. Also, his arm strength looked pretty good Sunday. The throw to Johnson on the sideline was a freaking missile.