PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – For all those that bought into the talk of the Steelers getting Aaron Rodgers or Russell Wilson, there is probably no hope for you in liking the signing of Mitch Trubisky.
You were buying into a fantasy which never had any chance of happening. Rodgers played the system to get a huge raise, teasing Steelers fans. When you look at the Wilson trade, there was no way the Steelers were giving up that much for a 33-year-old quarterback.
Here is another point you need to consider-not with Mitch Trubisky or any other quarterback-were the Steelers one player away from a Super Bowl in 2022. They have many needs that a fantasy hope would help mask, but not enough to carry them to a Lombardi.
Related
He brings mobility to the position, while not Lamar Jackson or Josh Allen, Trubisky had over 1,000 yards rushing in his four seasons in Chicago. He had 13 games where he rushed for more than 30 yards, had eight running touchdowns and a 5.6 average.
Pro Football Focus says the Steelers are getting an upgrade in Trubisky from Ben Roethlisberger last year. PFF ranked Big Ben the 37th best QB in the league in 2021, that’s a few positions worse that Trubisky’s last year with Chicago.
Positives
· Steelers didn’t give up one draft pick to acquire Trubisky. Compare that to a potential trade and what would be required to get Deshaun Watson or even Jimmy Garoppolo.
· We don’t know the money he signed for yet, but with a two-year contract it doesn’t prohibit you from drafting a QB this year if the one you want slides down to the 20th pick. You could also draft a QB in the expected deeper 2023 NFL Draft.
· Trubisky is 27-years-old with no wear-and-tear on his body last year
· Had a 6-touchdown game in 2018 against Tampa Bay & owns the last Bears win against Green Bay
· In his final five starts with the Bears in 2020, threw for 1,253 yards, 74% completion, 8 TD and 3 INT
· Could be the first-round pick who was in the wrong situation and now had a year to grow watching Josh Allen
· Has the mobility, rushing for 1057 yards and eight touchdowns in 50 starts with the Bears
That’s not to say he was perfect, far from it. He was run out of Chicago and obviously if he had worked out as expected, he wouldn’t have been a back-up quarterback last season.
Negatives
• 0-2 in career postseason with a pair of touchdowns and no interceptions
• Had to be replaced in Chicago falling out of favor after being the second overall pick in 2017.
• 10 multiple interception games in 50 starts
• Had only 17 touchdowns in 516 attempts in 2019
Trubisky is not the big name, he’s a project on a rebuilding offense. It didn’t break the bank to sign him, they kept all their picks and still have money to sign others. There are examples throughout the league of players excelling in fresh starts.
Will Steelers fans give him a chance?