Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Kenny Pickett. Matt Pendleton-USA TODAY Sports

Adam Schefter: Steelers' Kenny Pickett will start whenever 'Mitchell Trubisky has a stumble' this season

Well-respected NFL insider Jay Glazer of Fox Sports seemed to confirm one of the worst-kept secrets of the preseason when he confidently reported last week that Mitchell Trubisky will begin the regular season as the starting quarterback of the Pittsburgh Steelers over rookie Kenny Pickett and backup Mason Rudolph. 

That was after Pickett completed 13-of-15 passes for 95 yards and two touchdowns in a win over the Seattle Seahawks. Since that time, Pickett has reportedly impressed onlookers during practices and received more "varsity action" in this past Saturday's exhibition matchup at the Jacksonville Jaguars, during which the 24-year-old hit on six-of-seven throws for 76 yards and a touchdown. 

Following that performance, a different NFL reporter believes it's a matter of when, not if, Pickett will replace Trubisky atop the depth chart this fall. 

"I don't know when they're gonna get to Kenny Pickett, but they're gonna get to Kenny Pickett at some point in the season," ESPN's Adam Schefter explained during an on-air segment on Monday. "I think, essentially, as soon as Mitchell Trubisky has a stumble early in the season, that will open the door to get to Kenny Pickett and give Pittsburgh a chance to go to the quarterback that seems to get better at practice every single day, that seems to impress them more and more all the time, that seems to be, to use the words that I've heard over and over, 'coming on.'"

Assuming Trubisky will remain Pittsburgh's QB1 through the first Sunday of the regular season, he'll face the defending AFC champion Cincinnati Bengals in Week 1 on Sept. 11. The Steelers host the New England Patriots on Sept. 18 and will be at the division-rival Cleveland Browns on Sept. 22 for a "Thursday Night Football" showdown. 

One wonders if Pickett could get the nod in downtown Cleveland if Trubisky begins the campaign with back-to-back defeats. 

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