Open competition for Steelers' starting QB role?

While some were surprised that only one quarterback heard his name called on the first day of last week’s draft, no one was caught off guard by the fact that Pittsburgh was the lone team to add a signal-caller. After the draft was over, it was confirmed that Kenny Pickett will have a chance to win the No. 1 role right away.

As detailed by Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer, head coach Mike Tomlin was “pretty clear” in his post-draft media availability that Pickett “will be given the chance to unseat Mitch Trubisky as [the] starter.” Once the latter had been signed, it was expected he would operate as a stopgap while the team searched for a long-term Ben Roethlisberger replacement. Given the structure of his two-year deal, Trubisky’s cap hit for 2022 is only $3.66M, while it jumps to over $10.6M the following year.

While that pointed to the ex-Bears first-rounder being the favorite for the starting role, the team made it clear in the buildup to the draft that they would add competition at the position. On that point, Breer adds that Tomlin named Pickett’s status as the most NFL-ready of this year’s prospects as “a big reason the Steelers took him” with their top pick. Another, undoubtedly, was the familiarity the team has with the Pitt product, who had a record-breaking final season in college en route to being a Heisman finalist.

Much of the team’s evaluation of both Trubisky and Pickett, of course, will depend on their performances during the offseason. With most other starting QB spots already decided, though, the internal competition between the two will be one to watch in the runup to the 2022 campaign.