It’s Kenny Pickett insurance for the Pittsburgh Steelers. But it’s not exactly a great insurance policy.
NFL media’s Ian Rapoport reported Thursday that the Steelers and 28-year-old backup quarterback Mitch Trubisky came to terms on a two-year contract extension. Rapoport, citing sources, noted Trubisky is under contract now for three years at $19.4 million and that the signal-caller can earn up to $33 million.
That’s a hefty fee for a backup, albeit at the most important in sports, and gives the Steelers somebody to turn to in case Pickett can’t make it through a 17-game regular season in his second year in the NFL. But if the Steelers have to go to Trubisky at any time, that spells bad news for Pittsburgh.
Trubisky lost the starting job after a miserable first four games last season in which he completed just 59.5% of his passes for 653 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions. During that span, Trubisky lost to the New England Patriots, New York Jets and Cleveland Browns — all non-playoffs teams — while somehow leading the Steelers to a win over the Cincinnati Bengals in the season opener.
It’s unclear exactly what the Steelers see in Trubisky to put such an investment in him. Maybe they are enamored by the draft bust’s 31-24 record as a starter despite his stats not coming close to backing up that mark.
Trubisky’s price tag is the main obstacle here. He’s a decent backup, but he’s set to make $8 million this season after just making $1 million last season. The Steelers would have been better off either cutting Trubisky and going with Mason Rudolph, who they signed to an extension this week as well, as their second-stringer or letting Trubisky’s contract play out before letting him walk at the end of this season.
Instead, the Steelers are looking at an expensive insurance policy that doesn’t have a ton of benefits.
