The Pittsburgh Steelers found their heir-apparent to Ben Roethlisberger on Monday. According to multiple media reports, Pittsburgh has signed veteran former first-round pick Mitchell Trubisky.
While the details of the deal are not yet known, it’s expected to be for two years. This is also a clear indication that Trubisky will start over holdovers Mason Rudolph and Dwayne Haskins.
The No. 2 overall pick of the Chicago Bears back in 2017, Mitchell Trubisky played four seasons in the Windy City before taking on the role of Josh Allen’s backup with the Buffalo Bills this past season.
There’s a whole heck of a lot to look at here. Let’s break it down some below.
Related: Top 200 NFL free agents of 2022
Mitchell Trubisky signing means Pittsburgh Steelers are out on Jimmy Garoppolo
This is no small thing. NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport noted after the signing was leaked that Pittsburgh had been in on Jimmy Garoppolo before opting to sign Trubisky.
Since it became clear that the San Francisco 49ers were going to move off Garoppolo, Pittsburgh had been one of the teams linked to the quarterback the most.
Now that Pittsburgh is off the market, options for Garoppolo have dwindled some. In reality, a trade here is unlikely until the Deshaun Watson situation is settled. The New Orleans Saints and Carolina Panthers are two of the teams vying for the Pro Bowl quarterback’s services in a trade with the Houston Texans. Whoever doesn’t land him among quarterback-needy teams will likely turn their attention to Garoppolo.
Pittsburgh Steelers find stopgap option in Mitchell Trubisky
Pittsburgh had not been linked to the big names on the trade block throughout the process. That included both Watson and new Denver Broncos quarterback Russell Wilson.
- Mitchell Trubisky career stats: 64% completion, 10,652 yards, 64 touchdowns, 38 interceptions
As you can see, Trubisky was not a top-end signal caller during his team with the Chicago Bears. His final season with the team saw the North Carolina product throw 16 touchdowns against eight interceptions in 10 starts before he joined the Bills last season.
It seems as if Trubisky’s decision to sign with Buffalo was a good one. It gave him experience behind one of the better quarterbacks in the NFL and under a respected offensive mind in Brian Daboll.
All of this comes following the retirement of Ben Roethlisberger after 18 seasons with the team. Outgoing general manager Kevin Colbert firmly believes this team is still capable of competing for a playoff spot. The signing of Trubisky adds another layer to that.