QB named 'biggest weakness' for 2022 Steelers

For much of the 2021 NFL season, future Hall of Fame quarterback Ben Roethlisberger largely performed like a shell of his former self. Per ESPN stats, the Pittsburgh Steelers legend finished his final campaign 24th overall among eligible signal-callers with an 86.8 passer rating and 25th with a total QBR of 35.6. 

Roethlisberger rode off into the sunset of retirement this past winter, and Pittsburgh responded to that development by signing former Chicago Bears starter and Buffalo Bills backup Mitchell Trubisky in free agency before the club spent a first-round draft selection on Pittsburgh Panthers product Kenny Pickett. 

While some believe that starting Pickett from day one is the right move for the Steelers this summer, it's widely assumed that Trubisky is an overwhelming favorite to win the job over both the first-year pro and career backup Mason Rudolph. The situation has Sam Monson of Pro Football Focus viewing the sport's most important position as the "biggest weakness" for the Pittsburgh roster heading into training camp:

Pittsburgh’s biggest weakness isn’t quarterback just because of the standard of Mitchell Trubisky or rookie Kenny Pickett, but also because of the style of both players and what it means for the rest of the offense. Ben Roethlisberger had the league’s fastest average time to throw in 2021 (2.26 seconds) by some margin. That hid a lot of issues along the offensive line. Kenny Pickett was over 3.2 seconds in college, and Trubisky also exists closer to the longer end of the spectrum. That will stress the pass protection a lot more than it was a year ago and could make the entire offense look a lot worse.

The winner of Pittsburgh's upcoming quarterback competition, assuming head coach Mike Tomlin holds a legitimate battle and doesn't just name Trubisky his QB1, will rely heavily on running back Najee Harris. Harris ended his debut pro season fourth in the entire league with 1,200 rushing yards and second with 307 carries, as noted by ESPN figures. The 24-year-old also contributed 74 catches, 467 receiving yards and 10 total touchdowns.