Getty Josh Allen and Mitch Trubisky meet after a Buffalo Bills win over the Pittsburgh Steelers.
The Buffalo Bills could bring back a familiar face to back up Josh Allen next season.
The Bills face a decision on backup Case Keenum, who saw limited action behind the durable Allen. The 34-year-old Keenum is set to hit free agency, and The Athletic’s Joe Buscaglia believes the Bills could move on and instead look for a reunion with their previous backup, Mitch Trubisky.
Bills Face Decisions Behind Josh Allen
As Buscaglia noted, the Bills have put a priority on their backup position over the last two seasons, bringing in seasoned veterans Trubisky and Keenum. He added that Keenum could be a “strong candidate” to come back against next season and would be a cost-effective option, especially given his advanced age.
He added that Trubisky could be an option for the Bills, especially if his time with the Pittsburgh Steelers comes to an end.
“But he could have some competition if Trubisky is cut by the Steelers in a cap-saving move, as Allen and the franchise raved about Trubisky,” Buscaglia wrote. “Either way, a veteran quarterback will need to be found for 2023.”
Trubisky still has strong ties to the Bills, including a friendship with Allen. Allen also shared some praise for Trubisky, the way the came back from losing his starting job with the Chicago Bears.
“Mitch has been through the ringer,” Allen said last year, via ESPN. “No. 2 pick, how he handled being a professional, coming into a situation where you never thought you’ll be in that situation, that’s not easy. But he handled it with such class.”
“The dude is an athlete,” the Bills quarterback added. “I don’t think people really understand that. You give him leeway in an offense to have that mindset of, ‘See it, do it, we trust you.’ He’s going to kill it.”
Trubisky Expressed Regret About Leaving Buffalo
Though Trubisky initially earned the starting job in Pittsburgh, he was eventually overtaken by rookie Kenny Pickett and now faces an uncertain future with the Steelers.
Speaking to ESPN’s Brooke Pryor after Pittsburgh’s season came to an end, Trubisky expressed some regret about how quickly he made a decision once he hit free agency.
“Everything happened kind of quick,” Trubisky said. “I didn’t really have a long time to think of the decision. I wish I would’ve taken some more time and not just signed the first day of free agency. Looking back on it, just try to do some more research. But I felt like they were interested. I felt like it was a good opportunity to possibly get back on the field, but nothing’s guaranteed.”
Trubisky could soon be free from the Steelers. The Athletic’s Mark Kaboly predicted that the cap-conscious Steelers could save $8 million in cap space by cutting ties with the former No. 2 overall pick this offseason, though they may still value him as a veteran backup to Pickett.
#Steelers Mitchell Trubisky could be a salary cap casualty this off-season.
The move would save Pittsburgh $8M in cap space.
“To move Trubisky, the Steelers would have to add a quarterback,” he wrote. “They could do that with someone like Gardner Minshew, Jacoby Brissett or Andy Dalton — any of the three’s market value could be less than $8 million.”