When it comes to the Pittsburgh Steelers and quarterbacks, two names have drawn headlines since the season came to an end. Kenny Pickett and Mason Rudolph. But there’s a third name on this roster, and unlike Rudolph, is under contract for 2024. Mitch Trubisky inked an extension this past offseason. But he might not see those new years.
With a roster bonus due in March and miserable play that led to his benching, Trubisky’s footing is on shaky ground. In a sit-down interview with Rob King for Steelers.com, Team President Art Rooney II said the team will see what his future holds.
“Mitch, we’ll just have to see where we go with Mitch and the other spots that might be available,” Rooney told King when asked to evaluate each quarterback on the team.
Due a $1 million roster bonus on the third day of the new league year, odds are against Pittsburgh picking it up. Replacing an injured Kenny Pickett in December, Trubisky faltered in his two starts, throwing two touchdowns and three interceptions. Mistakes proved costly for a Steelers’ team with little margin for error, and Pittsburgh lost both games he started. Those losses made up the bulk of their three-game losing streak that pushed them out of the playoff picture. The team turned to Mason Rudolph to right the ship, rattling off three wins to close out the year and get back into the postseason.
While Trubisky’s fate feels sealed, there is one potentially complicating factor. With Rudolph being a pending free agent, the Steelers may not know his status by the time Trubisky’s roster bonus comes due. Or perhaps Rudolph has left for another opportunity. If either is the case, dumping Trubisky would only leave Pickett on the roster and the team in need of a veteran option. And the Steelers are expected to carry four quarterbacks to camp as they do each summer.
Pittsburgh has expressed a desire to retain Rudolph, but unless they use the franchise tag, and they won’t, the situation isn’t fully in their control. Rudolph will have a bigger market this year than last.
Perhaps the team could pick up Trubisky’s roster bonus as an insurance policy until re-signing Rudolph or finding a veteran equivalent. Clearly, Trubisky won’t be in the mix to start next season, but the team could hang onto him for a little longer than it might appear.
