Since winning the 2016 Super Bowl, the Denver Broncos haven’t been able to solve the quarterback conundrum.Former Buffalo Bills general manager Doug Whaley, who worked in Buffalo from 2013-2017, provided a possible answer for head coach Sean Payton in 2024.On 93.7 The Fan’s The Fan Morning Show on January 10, Whaley believes the Broncos should be Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Mason Rudolph’s top free agent target..
“Think about it, Sean Payton doesn’t need a mobile quarterback. That kind of offense, the timing, the pinpoint accuracy, the occasional, calculated deep shot, it fits what he does. That guy [Rudolph] is going to be a legitimate shortstop like he is now plays, Whaley said.Pittsburgh selected Rudolph out of Oklahoma State in the third round of the 2018 NFL Draft. The veteran quarterback has been with the Steelers for all six of his NFL career..
Per Spotrac, Rudolph signed a one-year, $1.08 million contract in May 2023 to remain in Pittsburgh. He will become a free agent after the Steelers’ season ends.Rudolph started his first career playoff game in the Wild Card round against the Buffalo Bills on the 15th. in January.Mason Rudolph leads Steelers to surprising playoff bid.The Steelers earn the seventh seed in the AFC playoffs.Pittsburgh was deadlocked at 7-7 and called on Rudolph to provide a spark in the final three games. Rudolph was 3-0 in his three starts with wins over the Cincinnati Bengals, Seattle Seahawks and Baltimore Ravens..
The Oklahoma State product threw three touchdown passes to zero during that stretch. Amazingly, each of his touchdowns was over 60 yards, tied for the most in the NFL this season behind Tua Tagovailoa..
In his six-year career, Rudolph went 8-4-1 in 13 games. If Payton and the Broncos show interest, the team would be getting a seasoned veteran with a big upside.The door is open for Russell Wilson to return in 2024.Part of figuring out the quarterback position in 2024 is first resolving the ongoing Russell Wilson saga.Payton hinted to local media during a Jan. 9 press conference that the door is still open for Wilson to return..
“We’re looking at all scenarios and trying to do what’s best for the Broncos, but communication is important and no final decision has been made,” Payton said.Wilson was benched by guard Jarrett Stidham after a 26-23 loss to the AFC-worst New England Patriots on Christmas Eve. Stidham went 1-for-1 over the final two games as Denver snapped its seventh straight losing season.The local media also put pressure on the general manager, George Paton Wilson. Paton insisted that the request to change the injury guarantees in Wilson’s contract was “completely unrelated” to the “football decision” that Payton made in letting Wilson go..
“I will keep the details private out of respect for everyone involved,” Paton told reporters on January 9. “Negotiations are difficult. You have difficult conversations, difficult conversations, and you can characterize negotiations however you want. We always try to act professionally and in the best interest of the Broncos, and this was no different.”Time will tell if the Broncos decide to keep Wilson through 2024. For an organization that hasn’t made the postseason since the 2015 campaign, every chance should be there..