When to play Kenny Pickett over Mitchell Trubisky named 'biggest challenge' for Steelers

Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin told reporters on Tuesday he won't "micromanage or overmanage this quarterback competition" involving free-agent pickup Mitchell Trubisky, first-round draft choice Kenny Pickett and career backup Mason Rudolph.

Tomlin likely won't need to do so, as it's widely assumed he already has Trubisky penciled in as his QB1 for Week 1 barring an injury or some woeful preseason performances from the 27-year-old. Trubisky may prove to be a solid bridge option at the position, but Pickett is hoped to become the long-term successor to retired future Hall of Famer Ben Roethlisberger. 

It was reported earlier this month that Tomlin and company don't want to "rush" Pickett into action this fall against live first-team defenses, but it's expected that the rookie will see the field at some point if the Steelers aren't competing for a playoff berth around or shortly after Christmas. For a piece published Wednesday, Eric Edholm of the NFL's website explained why he believes figuring out when to hand the keys to the offense over to Pickett is Pittsburgh's biggest challenge ahead of the upcoming campaign. 

"Pickett is the future, no doubt, but the first-round pick was often seen running the third-team offense this offseason," Edholm noted. "How will Mike Tomlin and (offensive coordinator) Matt Canada handle those reps in camp? You can bet Pickett will receive plenty of preseason snaps, but getting him ready behind the scenes for a potential regular-season handoff will be a delicate balancing act. And Tomlin, who's yet to log a single losing season as the head man in Pittsburgh, intends to keep winning." 

For now, it's up to Trubisky to keep Pickett a spectator on Sundays until further notice. As long as the former Chicago Bears starter routinely earns wins, benching him in favor of the first-year pro will be a difficult, if not impossible, decision.