The Steelers should keep Mitch Trubisky as their backup quarterback next season. It should be an easy decision.
Trubisky is comfortable coming in mid-game. He’s a mature, seasoned pro. His salary cap hit for next season is $10.6 million. Combined with Pickett’s cap figure of $3.2 million, the Steelers’ investment at quarterback would be a relatively minimal $13.8 million.
But Trubisky should also be kept because everything can’t always be in flux.
Quarterback is set. Let it be set. Worry about the offensive and defensive lines, cornerback and inside linebacker. Fix what needs fixed. Don’t create more issues.
The Steelers can’t get a better backup. Trubisky won’t get paid more elsewhere, and no team will be begging him to be their starter. If Pickett gets hurt or soils the bed, Trubisky is adequate.
Problems could arise if Trubisky is sore that he got lied to this season, which doubtless happened. Common knowledge says Trubisky was promised a chance to start at least through the bye week, but coach Mike Tomlin panicked when he saw the Week 4 game against the Jets (and the season) slipping away. So Tomlin inserted Pickett.
Hey, welcome to football. It’s a business of lies, not least so in Pittsburgh.
Tomlin wants volunteers, not hostages. But you can’t let everybody who wants out walk if it hurts your team, as it has in the past: LeGarrette Blount, Melvin Ingram, etc.
If the Steelers want Trubisky to take a pay cut and he balks, that changes the narrative.
