Steelers (7-7) head coach Mike Tomlin named QB Mason Rudolph the starter ahead of their Week 16 matchup against the Bengals (8-6). However, that could no longer be the case by the end of Thursday.

Tomlin told reporters that Thursday is “a big day” for QB Kenny Pickett’s availability for Saturday. The second-year quarterback has missed Pittsburgh’s last two games while recovering from ankle surgery that was expected to sideline him for two to four weeks.

“We had a good day [Wednesday],” Tomlin said “We’ll see how his body responds to the work today and make plans for tomorrow accordingly.”

His practice participation should certainly give fans some hope as he began the week as the fourth quarterback behind practice squad QB Trace McSorley and made his way to being the second behind Rudolph Wednesday, per ESPN’s Brooke Pryor.

Pickett must still prove he is healthy enough to start over Rudolph. If he does, it will surely be a boost to the offense, which has averaged just 13.7 points per game on the team’s three-game losing streak.

QB drills at Steelers practice today, where Kenny Pickett went second in individual drills behind Mason Rudolph.

Yesterday he went fourth, after PS QB Trace McSorley pic.twitter.com/Nv3bXy4iYk

— Brooke Pryor (@bepryor) December 20, 2023

The No. 20 overall pick in 2022 has had some struggles of his own when in the starting lineup this year, but it’s clear he gives the Steelers the best chance to win this season after their stint without him.

Pittsburgh already knows what it has in Rudolph, its 2018 third-round pick. QB Mitchell Trubisky was benched in the fourth quarter of last week’s loss after passing for only 632 yards, four touchdowns and five interceptions in five games, which were all losses, this season.

If Pickett does play this weekend and struggles as well, his time as the Steelers starting quarterback could be nearing its end. But at least the team will know its top priority of the offseason.