The Pittsburgh Steelers appear to have found their quarterback of the future in Kenny Pickett. However, fans and analysts are still debating what will happen with the QB2 slot. Will the team keep Mitch Trubisky, the veteran who was brought in last year to start at QB1? Will the team find a way to retain long-term backup Mason Rudolph? Or will the team look outside the organization to fill the spot, either in the draft or free agency?
Many feel that keeping Trubisky is too expensive of a proposition. Trubisky will earn a base salary of $8 million and carry a cap hit of $10,625,000. The Steelers organization has made it clear that they see Trubisky staying with the team at least for 2023. Both team president Art Rooney II and GM Omar Khan have publically stated their satisfaction with the vet.
The Steelers Will Keep Trubisky Mostly For His 'Intangibles'
Now that it appears the writing is on the wall for Trubisky to stay, analysts are weighing in on the decision. Including former Steelers linebacker Arthur Moats. Moats hosts a podcast called "The Arthur Moats Experience" and he had a former teammate from the Steel City, Terence Garvin, on to discuss Trubisky.
Both Moats and Garvin agree that Trubisky did not do enough when he started for the Steelers to warrant a team giving him a QB1 job. Trubisky, who was benched in favor of Pickett in Week 4, expressed some dissatisfaction regarding his situation as the season ended. Garvin and Moats feel that all professionals want to excel, of course. Trubisky wants a starting job, but you have to prove it out on the field; you can't just expect to be given it based on your time in the league.
They also state that fans often overlook one of the most important aspects of a team retaining a player. Fans tend to think it is all about stats and wins, but there are intangible qualities that matter a lot. In the case of Trubisky, those intangibles are so strong that it will help keep him in Pittsburgh.
With a rookie starting QB, it is important that the team have veteran leadership in the room in the form of backups. Trubisky has been providing that for Pickett.
"There are so many other factors in terms of the quarterback position that might be going into that (decision). He's a good guy, a family guy, good in the community," according to Garvin.
Trubisky, according to Moats, might feel that with Pickett's two concussions, an opportunity will arise for him to step in and shine. In the meantime, he makes himself invaluable by being a leader on the team. Trubisky was selected as a team captain in 2022.
"People joke but those intangibles are a big deal. You're a good person, you're a family person, keeping your family in the community. We minimize those intangibles but no these are major. Those are literally career changers. Intangibles like that are extremely important. You need guys like that on your team. You need glue. You need guys that keep the structure and you need a quarterback that if something happened he can go in there and make it happen and win you some games, get you out of the stadium.
Garvin says that he thinks Trubisky's "people" should be encouraging him to stay in Pittsburgh. Despite being a former first-round pick, he has struggled to live up to those expectations. But he has been an outstanding backup.
"I don't know what people are promising him but I think Pittsburgh is a gold mine, I think you come to Pittsburgh and you stay in Pittsburgh for the next five, six years. Charlie Batch did it."
Do you agree with Garvin and Moats? Could Trubisky be the next Charlie Batch in Pittsburgh? Do you think it makes sense to keep Trubisky? If he isn't your ideal backup, who is out there that you think would be a better choice?
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