The future of Mason Rudoph?

A possible timeline of his future career:

1. Backup QB until Ben retires
2. Competition with Ben's possible replacement
3. He'll either replace Ben, stay as a backup QB, or test free agency

 

Everything I've heard and read has Herbert going in the first round, possibly in the top 10. The popular guess of late even has the Dolphins taking him at No. 5 overall, with the Chargers then taking Tua.

I'd be surprised of Hurts isn't there for the Steelers in the second round, but I doubt he makes it to them in the third. I'm not a huge fan, but if he somehow slipped to the third, I'd roll those dice.

 

Worst case scenario is he stays behind Ben and Canada fixed his trouble spots and he leaves a better qb and we have to start over.

 

Yes, wow, saying you may know less than Futchner takes special courage and maybe it you take a three hour class on how to be an OC, you'll surpass him. As far as judging on fundamentals, I have always been told "if its crazy and works, its not crazy". So, I get where you're coming from but for me winning ugly is still winning. I prefer your way if its possible, winning and looking good doing it. As far as MR is concerned, he is both at times hard to watch and at times growing. I don't know which is dominant at this point. No run game and piss poor OL play didn't do him any favors.

 

I really don't think he has it to be successful as a starter in the NFL. I hope I'm wrong, but I see him either getting traded in his last year if there are any takers or released shortly thereafter. Who knows though with a new QB coach he might able to shake off the jitters. I just don't think so.

In this draft, unless there's a playmaker that can make a significant impact on the team I'm picking a QB with the first pick. There are a lot of players that should be able to move the chains. The only exception I have to selecting a QB would be if there was a solid WR burner that can help stretch the field.

While I love Ben, I am a bit skeptical his NFL pro caliber arm is going to be up for the task for another 5000 yard season.

Unfortunately I do not see Mason coming in to show himself as the new franchise QB if Ben were to go down.

 

Getting a QB anywhere in our first 4 picks is nuts. Ben said as much when we drafted MR and criticizing why we got him when we needed other positions filled that could help right away and a rookie QB is bound to sit all year. I hope we learned our lesson. This is not a position that needs to be a priority during this draft.

 

Two very interesting points in your post:

1. I think it would be a worthy topic to discuss just how difficult it must be to evaluate talent at this level. When you consider that the first round includes supposedly the top 32 potential players in the world, and a staggering number of those fail, add in the 2nd through 4th rounds and you begin to wonder if a coin flip would work nearly as well? Which may lend credence to the Browns constant failure due to reaching?
   
2. Your point about Canada is encouraging. I gave up on because he throws from his back foot and throws flutter balls and after the amount of time he's been in the league, that should have been worked on the day he got to camp because he did it in college. But.................maybe Tomlin's style of letting people be themselves just never addressed it.......which tells an even worse story. Let's see what happens.

 

he was for the Browns

 

Good points. I just don't think it's possible to be dominant without an elite QB and the odds of getting an elite QB out of the first round are slim. I don't know what MR makes and how it compares to starters or backups but I just don't see him as someone I feel good about in either position.

Let's hope that Ben's arm was in need of repair for a couple years as has been suggested and it will be even stronger now that three years ago.

 

I see. Very interesting insight indeed! I will respond in kind!


To start out, Cleveland has had multiple chances to take great players. From Big Ben to even recently in Bradley Chubb, why is it that the Browns consistently overthink the best players on the board in trade for, as you call, reaching, is beyond me. Talent evaluation is difficult and requires some luck but not impossible. Trust the tape first and foremost. Myles Garrett counts but I believe that even the Steelers would have taken Myled 1st Overall if they had that pick. Now, as for Rounds 2 and 4 is where you need to gun for BPA. Again, Cleveland reaches heavily for need; something that should never be done after Round 1 anyways barring some circumstances. Part the issue with Cleveland's woeful records have been part coaching but also inefficient talent evaluation with drafting.




Regarding Matt Canada, I do not believe that Mike Tomlin will interfere with Canada's ability to coach his specialty. While it is true that Mike Tomlin does allow players to be themselves, keep in mind that great coaches allow their players to do what they are best at. Take Minakh Fitzpatrick for example. Tomlin could have used him merely as a slot corner. Instead, he not only let Minkah become a Free Safety, Tomlin allowed Minkah to play the way Minkah was best at; ultra aggressive and borderline reckless... reminiscent of Troy Polamalu. Mason was no different. For that matter, Mason was doing pretty well up until Earl Thomas III smashed his head into oblivion.



Here in lies the kicker for why Matt Canada will help Mason more than most realize; basics. Mason, by all accounts, was essentially a Rookie in 2019. He had some good moments but also some bad ones. He cannot rely on world level athleticism like Big Ben could when he was a Rookie back in 2004. Instead, Mason is going to have to rely on his Football IQ, Accuracy and fundamentals to win. Thankfully, Matt Canada exemplifies all of this and more.

 

His mechanics suck, his arm strength just isn't good, he is awful in the pocket or out of it so I guess there ya go. No one is fixing those issues. There's something called muscle memory and no matter how much you try and school a guy his age he always reverts back to what "feels" right for him to do in any situation. But he's all we got so on we go. We have no starting QB on the roster except for Ben. That's the reality. Was there any real difference between his performance and the Duck's? Not much and it was his first year. So I'm not impressed. So go ahead and rip me apart on this but MR does not impress me as being able to become a starter in the NFL.

 

I'm holding out for the kid from Princeton being a free agent QB to lead us to multiple super bowls!!!! Davidson is the answer!

 

Living in NE Ohio I know for fact that most Browns fans believed for the last ten years that they were "one player away" and I think the ownership/management have drafted based on that theory as well. The Browns should have been trading those high picks and stockpiling solid talent to build on rather than trying to find divine intervention in the draft.

I get that it's a fine line to walk when coaching kids with big egos and big wallets but I think Tomlin takes it to the extreme. But it can't be just Tomlin, how could
nobody" see MR's fundamental flaws over the course of the film study and the entire 2018 season in practice? It was all pointed out in his scouting report but that is water under the bridge, let's hope Canada can help.

 

CFL? Maybe

 

Mason is at home wondering when and if the Steelers draft a QB. He'll feel good if they don't.

 

I don't buy into the bad mechanics criticism, etc. After the concussion vs. Ravens, Rudolph wasn't the same mentally. Rudolph's end zone pass vs. Jets in relief of Duck was awesome. Too bad he got hurt after that. Hopefully, Rudolph has learned from experience.... and experience is everything in the NFL. Steelers would have been 8-8 in 2019 with or without Roethlisberger, IMO.

 

If Canada can't improve his bad tendencies, he will be out of football. Simple as that
It is time for him to make a major leap and Canada can get him there.

 

Well, the draft is not over. There are (I believe) 8 QBs still available including two Big Ben
size QBs (physical size; Ben at 22 that is).
Jacob Eason, Washington Huskies - Prospect grade 6.25 on the line between Will be starter
within first two seasons 6.1-6.2 and Boom or bust prospect 6.3-6.4
https://www.nfl.com/prospects/jacob-eason?id=32194541-5338-2386-3401-72035bd47e1
http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap30...qb-jacob-eason-remains-captivating-case-study
James Morgan, Florida International University - Prospect grade 5.96 on the line between
5.8-5.9 Backup/special-teamer and 6.0 Developmental traits-based prospect
https://www.nfl.com/prospects/james-morgan?id=32194d4f-5216-3437-2fdf-965084d7442b
https://www.miamiherald.com/sports/...nternational-university/article241854541.html
As a refresher Mason Rudolph's prospect grade was 6.20.

 

After the Dobbs and Mason experience I’m not sold on taking a swing on another mid round project QB. They really don’t have the draft capital this year anyway.

Ride with Ben until he is ready to retire and then go after somebody you really believe in with conviction. Get a bridge guy like Foles or Bridgewater for a while if necessary.

 

If Steelers draft a QB, I will facepalm into infinity. There is no remaining QB that is any better than Rudolph, Hodges, Barrett and Lynch. Steelers are better off selling the house for Trevor Lawrence in 2021.

 

And you think taking a punt on a late round QB makes the situation better? Ben is effectively fully paid up until the end of 2021 season, they are all in with him for better or worse. Pointless taking on another project right now, there is a reason these guys are available in the fourth.

Go for depth on defence and OLine in the fourth. JMO

 

i love how everyone thinks all things are Tomlin’s decisions. why no lay blame on the general MANAGER? Ownership?? i mean seriously, do people really think draft, coaching or any other decisions are made by the coach alone? come on man

 

you are not getting Lawrence, just let it go. he’s going to Jacksonville or Chicago or some other bottom dweller. his career is over before it starts.