As OTAs and mandatory minicamp end last week and the dead of summer rolls in, news surrounding the Pittsburgh Steelers from an on-the-field standpoint appears to be coming to a screeching halt until training camp gets underway when players report July 26 to Latrobe, PA. While there will still be news about Steelers players, coaches, and front office executives swirling around here-and-there, the constant stream of stories like we have had the last several weeks won’t be the same until the 2022 season kicks off late next month.
Because of this, I, along with many avid fantasy football fans, will be brushing up and building our respective draft strategies for this year’s upcoming fantasy football season. Along with being a religious listener to The Terrible Podcast with Dave and Alex, I also have been faithfully following the Fantasy Footballers Podcast for the last several years, listening to the analysis and insight provided by show hosts Andy Holloway, Jason Moore, and Mike Wright.
In their most recent edition of the podcast which is also featured on YouTube, the three hosts addressed the recent news of Pittsburgh Steelers RB Najee Harris and the comments that he may see a reduced workload this season compared to 2021 which I have already wrote about last week for the site. Right after talking about Harris, the Fantasy Footballers discuss the news that QB Mitch Trubisky is acting as the QB1 during OTAs and mandatory minicamp and what that might mean going forward pertaining to how Pittsburgh plays out the QB situation in 2022.
“With Trubisky, you could see this team having some success, even if Mitch isn’t prolific.” Holloway said on the podcast. “So, if Mitch starts Week 1 as the QB1, what do you think that the odds are that there is a change midseason with that team and how competitive they have been, regardless of their circumstance?”
“Greater than 50 percent,” Wright responded. “It really comes down to their record. If they are having a ton of success and have a good chance to win the division with Mitch Trubisky, then possibly you don’t make the transition. Sooner or later, you have to see if we made a good decision with this first rounder, or in next year’s draft, are we back in the hunt hoping that someone falls to us again.”
Now, to suggest that the Steelers would punt altogether on Pickett as the potential future at the QB position after one season seems like an impossibility outside of some crazy circumstance occurring off-the-field. The Pittsburgh Steelers are an organization of stability and patience as evidenced in their history of sticking with the same coaching staff, front office staff, and with Ben Roethlisberger through the ups and downs that come throughout an NFL season.
However, Holloway’s point makes a ton of sense should Trubisky play well to start the regular season, that is if he wins the starting job during training camp and in preseason action. As much as Pittsburgh would like to get their rookie QB out there to see him in action, they pride themselves as always pursuing a championship and competing to make the playoffs, regardless of if their odds of going far are slim given the roster. Owner Art Rooney II, GM Omar Khan, and HC Mike Tomlin aren’t in the business of losing games to boost draft position, so if Trubisky proves to be the better option to start the season, there’s a chance he holds off Pickett if he plays well.
“I still think there’s a good chance Kenny Pickett starts the season,” Jason Moore responded when asked about his thoughts on the news. “Obviously, this was a very important piece of news to me because I have been projecting Kenny Pickett to be the Week 1 starter, and I do agree with you. If Mitchell Trubisky is the Week 1 starter, there’s a solid chance that he’s winning enough games to keep that job.”
Trubisky may not be the world-beater at QB he was supposed to be when the Chicago Bears decided to take him #2 overall back in 2017 over the likes of Patrick Mahomes and Deshaun Watson, but he hasn’t been a complete bust like he has portrayed to be. He boasts a 29-21 overall record as an NFL starter and has thrown 64 touchdowns to 38 interceptions, completing just over 64% of his passes. He has also made a Pro Bowl team and took the Bears to the playoffs two times in four seasons with the team.
Pittsburgh is in the business of winning games, making it to the postseason, and pushing to win the AFC to make it to the big dance to try and win Super Bowls. The opening schedule for the Steelers is daunting, to say the least, but if Trubisky plays well enough and the team makes it through with a respectable record, we could see a similar situation to that of Alex Smith and Patrick Mahomes or Jimmy Garoppolo and Trey Lance last season where the veteran holds off the rookie for a majority, if not the whole season at the team looks to make a deep playoff run.
What are your thoughts on the Fantasy Footballers and their comments on the QB situation in Pittsburgh? Do you think that there is a chance Trubisky holds off Kenny Pickett for the entire 2022 season as the starting QB? Please leave your thoughts in the comments section below and thanks again for reading!
