Mitchell Trubisky is perfect for the Pittsburgh Steelers right now
By James Reeve
Mitchell Trubisky is the expected starting quarterback for the 2022 Pittsburgh Steelers, and he is the perfect person for the job right now.
It is the dawn of a new era for the Pittsburgh Steelers after 18-year starter and future Hall of Fame quarterback Ben Roethlisberger hung up his cleats at the conclusion of the 2021 season, with Mitchell Trubisky set to step into enormous shoes.
It will be unusual to no longer see #7 under center when the 2022 season rolls around, but the Steelers’ decision to bring in the second overall pick from the 2017 Draft in free agency should help the team during their transition period.
Trubisky joins the Steelers with plenty of starting experience under his belt with the Chicago Bears before spending last season as the backup to Buffalo Bills star Josh Allen, and he should grab his new opportunity with both hands.
His introduction to the NFL in 2017 was less than ideal for the former North Carolina Tar Heel, seeing the Bears go 4-8 (5-11 on the season) and Trubisky throw 2193 yards and just seven touchdowns to seven interceptions.
He found himself out of a starting job after the 2020 season, but it should not be understated that Trubisky compiled a strong 25-13 record with the Bears in the three seasons prior, with 57 touchdowns to 30 interceptions and a Pro Bowl selection in 2018.
He has a career average 64.1% completion rate, with 10,609 yards to his name, and should be viewed as a legitimate starting-caliber quarterback in the NFL – even if it will not be for the long term.
Going from Roethlisberger to Trubisky will take some adjustment for fans of the Steelers, but there should still be a genuine belief that the next man up can lead the team forward as they look to determine their future in the post-Big Ben era.
Trubisky isn’t likely to lead the team to the Super Bowl, but his record in the league to date shows that he can win games and can be the guy to keep the ship steady as changes begin to take shape.
A year working behind Allen in a high-powered offense may have also helped Trubisky, allowing him to remain healthy and observe the game with a watchful, thoughtful approach on the sidelines.
His contract works well for the Pittsburgh Steelers, who endure just a $3.66 million cap hit in 2022 and could even cut him after the year and take on a dead cap of just $2.625 million in 2023 if a genuine long-term solution at the position is found.
That solution isn’t likely to be from this year’s draft class, which is considered to be weaker than recent years, and it should allow Trubisky to use the 2022 season as a serious audition to secure a starting job in the NFL for more than one year.
The Steelers have weapons around the quarterback position, namely in the form of receivers Diontae Johnson and Chase Claypool as well as running back Najee Harris, giving Trubisky a supporting cast that can help the transition go as smoothly as possible.
If the Mentor, Ohio native performs well in 2022, he should see out the full two-year term of his contract and give the Pittsburgh Steelers enough time to assess their options in the long run, with the legitimate successor to Roethlisberger likely to be on the minds of all associated with the franchise until the next highly-rated prospect is drafted.
In the meantime, the Steelers have a guy that will have plenty of motivation and determination to stick around and history has shown that he is more than competent at the position and should give the team exactly what they need right at this moment.