After a bit of uncertainty last off-season, the Pittsburgh Steelers already have their quarterback situation figured out for 2023. Well, mostly. Kenny Pickett is the penciled-in starter, as he will look to take a step forward in his second professional season. Behind him though, things get a bit murky. Mason Rudolph is a free agent, and he has made it clear that he won't be returning to Pittsburgh. Fellow veteran Mitch Trubisky is still currently on the roster. The problem is, the six-year QB is set to incur a cap hit of over $10 million in 2023.
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Quarterback Mason Rudolph.
The front office can make the decision to move on from Trubisky, who made five starts for the black and gold in 2022. That would save them some money, which they could then use in some much-needed areas in free agency. They could entertain trading him, but he seemingly would have minimal-to-zero interest. If they were cut him though, they would then have to find a legitimate backup in FA. Jacoby Brissett, who started 11 games for the Cleveland Browns in 2022, is a name that has been connected to the team in the past.
Andy Dalton, as mentioned by Mike DeFabo of The Athletic, could be another decent veteran option. At that point though, is it worth saving a few million to swap out backup quarterbacks? Trubisky is still one of the better backup QB's in the league, and Pickett can continue to learn from the veteran. Also, the University of North Carolina product knows the offense quite well at this point. This is all a pointless discussion if Trubisky is wanting for an opportunity elsewhere.
This past season, he voiced his frustrations with the team’s handling of the quarterback situation on a few occasions. He could do what he did last off-season, which is hit the open market and find a spot where he can possibly start. Saving a few million to go from Trubisky to a guy like Brissett may be worth it, but the front office better be sure they can find a competent backup.
Photo Credit: Jordan Schofield / SteelerNation (Twitter: @JSKO_PHOTO)
If Steelers QB Mitch Trubisky gets cut, he will be on his fourth team in as many years in 2023.
If not, the team won’t be competitive if Pickett were to go down injured. We saw several teams around the league struggle immensely without a competent backup in 2022. The team will also want to capitalize on this stretch of having their starter on a rookie contract, which makes the case for cutting ties with Trubisky after just one year. Regardless, general manager Omar Khan and the front office have a difficult decision to make in the quarterback room.
If you were the front office, what would you do with the backup QB situation? Is cutting Trubisky worth saving a few million? If they do move on from him, who do you want them to sign (or even draft)? Share your thoughts in the comments below, yinz!
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