The Pittsburgh Steelers spent Tuesday trimming their roster down to just 53 players. As they head into the 2022 season, expectations aren't exactly high for the Steelers. They have young players who will be playing big roles on both sides of the ball.

The 2022 season could serve as more of a year of development and growth for this group. But with head coach Mike Tomlin at the helm, there’s no telling how good this team could actually be.

The Steelers, while having depth at nearly every position, currently have an abundance of depth at one position in particular.

There is currently a logjam at the quarterback position in Pittsburgh. Mitch Trubisky, Mason Rudolph, and rookie Kenny Pickett are all battling for the starting job. But at the moment, it seems like the battle has quickly become a two-quarterback race.

Kenny Pickett and Mitch Trubisky have seemed to solidify themselves as the two quarterbacks who could win the starting job. Mason Rudolph has appeared to be the odd man out.

Pittsburgh Steelers' best trade asset

Mason Rudolph has spent time as the Steelers starter in the past. In his three seasons in the NFL, he has started 10 games, while appearing in 17 total during the regular season.

Throughout his career, Rudolph has thrown for 2,366 passing yards, 16 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions.

Upon the retirement of Ben Roethlisberger, it seemed guaranteed that Rudolph would at least get a chance to take over the starting duties. Instead, upon Roethlisberger’s retirement during the off-season, the Steelers signed Mitch Trubisky and drafted Kenny Pickett.

These moves instantly pushed Rudolph down the quarterback depth chart. He is still fighting an upward battle.

During the preseason, Mason Rudolph appeared in all three games, while playing varying amounts. He finished with 220 passing yards and two touchdowns on 26 total completions.

Rudolph is currently facing off against two first-round picks who could both start on several other teams.

The quarterback room

Mitch Trubisky has had a career full of highs and lows. Since being the second overall pick in the 2017 NFL draft, Trubisky has appeared in 57 total games, while starting 50. He currently has a career record of 29-21.

Throughout his career, the one-time Pro Bowler has thrown for 10,652 passing yards, 64 touchdowns, and 38 interceptions. On the ground, Trubisky has added another 1,081 rushing yards and nine total touchdowns.

Trubisky spent the first four seasons of his career with the Chicago Bears. After the two sides went in separate directions, the quarterback spent one season with the Buffalo Bills.

During his time with the Bills, Trubisky seemed to develop his game even more. He is now expected to head into the season as the Steelers' starting quarterback.

On the other side, rookie quarterback Kenny Pickett has begun to make a name for himself.

The Steelers selected Pickett with the 20th overall pick in the 2022 NFL draft. He was the lone quarterback taken in the first round.

Pickett rose to prominence during his time at Pitt. He threw for 12,203 passing yards, 81 touchdowns, and 32 interceptions over 52 collegiate games.

Throughout the preseason, Pickett has shown flashes of potential. It’s not unlikely that he doesn't at some point take over the starting job this season.

With these two being the top two quarterbacks on the roster, Mason Rudolph has found himself as the odd man out.

While every team in the NFL has solidified their starting quarterback battle heading into the season, Rudolph could step in as a valuable backup for a team elsewhere.

Teams such as the Dallas Cowboys, Houston Texans, or Jacksonville Jaguars could be intriguing options for Rudolph. At the moment, Dak Prescott is the only quarterback on the Cowboys' active roster. Davis Mills is set to be the Texans starter, and the only quarterback behind him is Kyle Allen. In a similar situation, Trevor Lawrence is the clear QB1 for the Jaguars, but his backup is CJ Beathard. Rudolph could challenge for the backup position on all of these teams.

He is set to make a base salary of $3M this upcoming season. He will also be a free agent at the end of the season.

Several reports have stated that the Steelers are reluctant to move on from Rudolph due to the theft that he brings. If they moved on from Rudolph, they would be just one injury away from a one-man quarterback room. Specifically, if they lost Trubisky, Pickett would be sent out with no veteran leadership around him.

As he is due such a low salary, the Steelers could make the decision to hold on to Rudolph. But he could still be an intriguing trade option for this unit.