With Kenny Pickett pencilled in as the Pittsburgh Steelers' 2023 starting quarterback, the front office will have some decisions to make behind him. Mason Rudolph is gone after four seasons in Pittsburgh, as he'll try to sign with a team that will give him a legitimate opportunity. Mitch Trubisky is the curious case. He began 2022 as the Steelers' QB1, starting a total of four games before Pickett took over.
Now, he seems to be a logical cap casualty this off-season. That would allow him to become a free agent once again, possibly finding a place that he could compete for another starting job. He would incur a cap hit of over $10 million in 2023 if the team opted to hold onto him. While that would free up some money for general manager, Omar Khan, that will force him to have to search for a backup (or two) this off-season.
Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports that the team actually wants to keep Trubisky, but that may not happen. For one, the veteran quarterback may want to find a starting job somewhere. Second, the money situation makes it difficult for Khan, as Trubisky would likely be the highest-paid backup QB in the league. As a result, Dulac proposed one free agent quarterback to keep an eye on:
"And a possibility is former Cleveland Browns quarterback, Jacoby Brissett, whom the Steelers considered last year before signing Trubisky," Dulac said. "Brissett is familiar with the Steelers system because he played at North Carolina State (2013-2015) when Matt Canada was the offensive coordinator there. Also, Steelers running backs coach, Eddie Faulker, and receivers coach, Frisman Jackson, were members of that staff."
Jacoby Brissett was a key contributor for an AFC North rival this past season, starting 11 games for the Cleveland Browns. He was the fill-in quarterback until Deshaun Watson was reinstated from his suspension in Week 13. If you remember, one of Brissett's best games of 2022 came in Week 3 against the Steelers. He threw for 220 yards and two touchdowns, leading the Browns to a huge victory. As Dulac points out, Brissett has several connections to the Steelers' coaching staff.
It's why the two sides were connected last off-season when the team was on a hunt for a new quarterback. Brissett made just under $5 million in his one-year deal with the Browns, so he likely would come at a cheaper price than Trubisky. With that being said, at that point, the black and gold front office may just opt to hold onto Trubisky. Brissett may want to find a spot that gives him a shot at playing as well, as he wouldn't play in Pittsburgh barring an injury to Pickett.
Would you prefer to have Trubisky or Brissett? If you were Khan, what would you do with the team's backup QB situation? Would you possibly draft a QB late in the 2023 NFL Draft?
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