The Pittsburgh Steelers Most Inexpensive QB2 Option Is To Extend Mitch Trubisky

The Pittsburgh Steelers are in better shape in their quarterback room than they were this time last year. After the future Hall of Fame QB Ben Roethlisberger retired, there was uncertainty about who would be under center for the 2022 season.

The Steelers answered that question in two ways - free agency and the draft. The team picked up veteran QB Mitch Trubisky after he finished a one-year deal with the Buffalo Bills. They also drafted rookie QB Kenny Pickett from the University of Pittsburgh. Both players joined longtime backup Mason Rudolph on the roster. Trubisky initially started the season, but was benched Week 4 for the rookie Pickett. 

Now the Steelers have a backup quarterback situation on their hands. Barring some kind of catastrophe, the Steelers have made it clear that Pickett is their guy and he will be starting Week 1 of the 2023 season. But Pickett has already suffered two concussions in his short pro career, so the Steelers are all too aware of the need to have a strong backup. But is that guy Trubisky?

The Steelers Are Happy To Keep Mitch Trubisky

Pittsburgh seems to be making it abundantly clear, despite the rumors that Trubisky will be a cap casualty, that they want to keep him in black and gold. Back in January, Steelers President Art Rooney II said that he expects Trubisky to stay in Pittsburgh:

"I expect Mitch will be on the roster next year and be an effective backup if we need him. I think he showed that he can be that. We can win with him."

That sentiment was echoed today by Steelers GM Omar Khan, who spoke from the Combine:

"Mitch has been awesome since the day he got here. How he's worked with Kenny has been great, and I want Mitch around."

That's all well and good, but how do the Steelers align what they want with the money they have to spend? Trubisky is an approximate $10 million cap hit, which seems like quite a lot for a backup quarterback.

It is important to keep the situation in perspective, most starting QB's are making vastly more than Pickett. He will only be on the second year of his rookie contract making just over $1.3 million in base salary. When you compare that to the $46 million Deshaun Watson is getting from the Cleveland Browns, it seems like peanuts. That does help to ease the sting of keeping Trubisky. 

But there is another option to keeping Trubisky, extending his contract. Contract extensions are the oldest trick in the NFL contract book. Teams use them all the time to help spread out the cap hit a team takes for a player so it doesn't all come due in one year. 

If they extended Trubisky, they could take that $10 million he is owed and space it out over a few years. This might be a little bit of "robbing Peter to pay Paul," but it is sometimes necessary. The Steelers did this with Roethlisberger and Stephon Tuitt, to help alleviate the burden. 

It seems the best option for all involved. Frankly, Trubisky did not play at such a high level in 2022 that teams are going to be beating down his door looking to pay him more than the Steelers. He can return to Pittsburgh, where he has been a phenomenal leader and teammate, and continue to provide support to Pickett. It gives him the opportunity to perhaps put together some better film on himself that he can leverage in the future. He can also give the offense much-needed stability in case Pickett does go out with an injury (insert sign of the cross here). 

Trubisky may not be the best backup QB in the NFL, but he might well be the best backup option for the Steelers.  

What do you think the Steelers will do with Trubisky? Do you want to see him return? Do you think it makes sense to extend his contract and spread out his cap hit? If you aren't pro-Trubisky, what is the option you think is better? Click to comment below.

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