Taking Mike Tomlin at his word during his end-of-season news conference, Kenny Pickett has reclaimed his role as QB1 for the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Tomlin, of course, also promised “competition.” That term is open for interpretation, as are the Steelers’ methods for evaluating options in providing that aforementioned competition. It can take on myriad forms.

Here are the routes available for the Steelers to fill their quarterbacks room in 2024:

INTERNAL OPTIONS

Again, if Tomlin’s words are to be believed, the Steelers “have interest in doing continual business with” Mason Rudolph. One of the longest-tenured players on the team, Rudolph would provide continuity to the QB room. And the four-game stretch (including playoffs) he played over late December into early January was the best by a Steelers passer since Ben Roethlisberger retired. Also, rarely have the Steelers over their history let one of their own free agents leave if they truly wanted to keep him.

But that doesn’t factor in whether Rudolph will desire two things the Steelers might not want to offer: significantly more money and a legit opportunity at the starting job.

Rudolph surely will want at least as much of both as Mitch Trubisky received the past two years. Trubisky pocketed $14.29 million for his services, was named the starter to begin 2022 and handed the No. 2 gig this past season. Neither was, in reality, available to Rudolph on either occasion.

Due $5.25 million in 2024, Trubisky probably will not be back.

FREE AGENCY, HIGH END

There are two quarterbacks who (when healthy) ended this past season as starters whose contracts expire. Each might be an attractive — yet not totally ideal — option if the Steelers were shopping for a legit QB1. But with Tomlin’s implicit preference for giving Pickett every opportunity to start in his third NFL season, neither Kirk Cousins nor Baker Mayfield would want to come to Pittsburgh. For that matter, the Steelers won’t want to pay them what it would take to get them here anyway.

Russell Wilson generally falls into the same category, albeit his salary likely would be less after his expected release from the Denver Broncos. Still, it would make little sense for either party if Wilson came to the Steelers absent the idea he’s the unquestioned QB1.

Though he technically should go into a different heading because he would be acquired via trade and not as a free agent, the same broad criteria for the above three players applies to the Chicago Bears’ Justin Fields. Fields would be an intriguing option, but the acquisition cost in addition to his salary demands in the not-so-distant future make it untenable to bring him in as mere “competition.”

FREE AGENCY, BARGAIN BIN

In the next tier of free agency is a handful of quarterbacks who have extensive starting experience in the NFL but are viewed as unlikely to be franchise QBs ever again. Players such as Ryan Tannehill, Jameis Winston, Carson Wentz and (after his late-2023 career renaissance) Joe Flacco are surely self-aware enough to accept a lesser contract without concrete assurances of playing time. But each could perhaps reasonably believe that if given a legitimate opportunity, he could beat out Pickett.

A step down from those four are players who at this point are universally regarded strictly as backups. But the vast majority of teams would feel satisfied to have Jacoby Brissett, Marcus Mariota, Sam Darnold or Gardner Minshew as their QB2. Each would provide a practical — if under-inspiring — insurance policy if Pickett can’t put it all together.

LONG SHOT LOTTERY TICKET

To varying degrees and for good reason, the overwhelming consensus on the likes of Mac Jones (2021 first round), Drew Lock (2019 second round), Zach Wilson (2021 first round), Desmond Ridder (2022 third round) and Sam Howell (2022 fifth round) is that none are franchise QB-caliber. But maybe the Steelers had an affinity for one of them at the time he was drafted and still believes he’s worth a flier. Any would come at relatively low cost (all but Lock would require a trade), none would necessitate an immediate demotion of Pickett, and it’s at least within the realm of possibility that given the right set of circumstances that such a reclamation project perhaps could blossom. Or, at least, be a serviceable backup to Pickett.

DRAFT PICK

This option covers a wide breadth of alternatives with options too countless to comprehensively list. But it also could be characterized as more likely than not that the Steelers add a quarterback at some point of the draft, at least with how things stand today.

Forget about the likes of Caleb Williams or Drake Maye. Zero chance. And the odds aren’t much better, if at all, for anyone else that would require a first-round pick.

Day 2? It’s at least worth considering. Maybe the Steelers fall in love with Michael Penix, J.J. McCarthy, Bo Nix or Michael Pratt, while somehow the rest of the league lets him fall. Perhaps someone currently rated further down zooms up the Steelers’ board.

Most likely, though, if it’s a rookie the Steelers add he will be a mid-to-late-round QB to be named later.