The Pittsburgh Steelers are not making drastic changes to their quarterback room, as both Mitch Trubisky and Mason Rudolph will return.
The Pittsburgh Steelers feel they have their quarterback of the future in Kenny Pickett after selecting him in the first round last year. This offseason, the team brought in help for Pickett to help him succeed, such as wide receiver Allen Robinson, offensive guard Isaac Seumalo, offensive tackle Broderick Jones, and tight end Darnell Washington. The hope is that all of the pieces brought into Pittsburgh will help Pickett take that next step in his second season.
As for who will back him up at the quarterback position, it will be the same options as last year.
Earlier this week, the Steelers re-signed former 2018 second-round pick Mason Rudolph to a one-year contract. That left questions as to whether the team would move on from Mitch Trubisky, who they signed last year and carried a sizable cap hit.
On Thursday, general manager Omar Khan revealed on "The Pat McAfee Show" that they were giving Trubisky a contract extension.
Steelers retaining Mitch Trubisky and Mason Rudolph to backup Kenny Pickett
NFL Network national insider Ian Rapoport reported that the Steelers gave Trubisky a two-year contract extension, where he will make $19.4 million over the next three years. Additionally, Trubisky can earn up to $33 million over the length of the contract.
While it may not be the most inspiring quarterback group, the Steelers did this for one reason — stability. Instead of having a new quarterback come in to learn the offensive system implemented by coordinator Matt Canada, they retained Trubisky and Rudolph, who both have familiarity.
Trubisky began the season as the starting quarterback, a position he would hold for the first four weeks, as his play didn't result in much success. Pickett took over in Week 4 and was eventually named the starter. While Pickett did shine, he was pulled out of two starts due to concussions (Weeks 6 and 14). Trubisky entered in both, leading them to a 20-18 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, but falling short 14-16 against the Baltimore Ravens.
In his first year with the Steelers, Trubisky threw for 1,252 yards, four touchdowns, and five interceptions while completing 65.0 percent of his passes. Trubisky held a 2-3 record in games he started in.
As for Rudolph, he was supposed to be the team's answer at the quarterback position once Ben Roethlisberger retired. However, Rudolph never really panned out to their expectations. In 17 games played through five seasons with the team, Rudolph threw for 2,366 yards, 16 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions while completing 61.5 percent of his passes.
The Steelers have confidence in the quarterback room the season prior, hence why they extended Trubisky and brought back Rudolph on a one-year deal. With the additions through free agency, the trade market, and the NFL Draft, the NFL world will wait to see if it will be enough for the team to make the playoffs.
