Andy Lyons/Getty Images Mitchell Trubisky celebrates after a touchdown against the Cincinnati Bengals on December 10, 2017.
On Monday morning Mike Garafolo of NFL Network reported that the Pittsburgh Steelers have come to an agreement with former No. 2 overall draft pick Mitchell Trubisky on a two-year contract.
The #Steelers have reached agreement on a two-year deal with QB Mitchell Trubisky, sources say. The former No. 2 overall pick heads to Pittsburgh as the expected starter in place of the retired Ben Roethlisberger.
Terms of the deal have not yet been reported, but Trubisky now becomes the leading contender to replace longtime franchise quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, who recently made the decision to retire after a Pro Football Hall of Fame-worthy career that spanned 18 seasons.
In the wake of the news, Trubisky sent a text to ESPN senior NFL insider Adam Schefter in which he had a straightforward message for Steelers fans.
“I am beyond excited and blessed for the opportunity to be a part of the Pittsburgh Steelers organization. I have tremendous respect for the Rooney Family and Coach Tomlin. They have built one of the best rosters in football and I can’t wait to contribute and help this team continue their success.
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Mitch Trubisky is a Former No. 2 Overall Pick
Trubisky, 27, has good reason to be excited about the opportunity presented to him in Pittsburgh, as he has the chance to become the team’s extended term answer at the position. But first he will have to beat out former third-round pick Mason Rudolph (who is under contract with the team through the 2022 season, thanks to an extension signed in April 2021), not to mention former Washington first-round pick Dwayne Haskins, a restricted free agent who, according to a recent report, has been tendered a one-year contract.
The agreement also gives the Steelers the chance to audition a quarterback with the kind of draft pedigree that hasn’t been seen in Pittsburgh since Terry Bradshaw was selected No. 1 in 1970.
Trubisky—6-foot-2 and 220 pounds—was taken No. 2 overall by the Chicago Bears in the 2017 NFL Draft out of North Carolina. He started 50 of 51 games during his four seasons in Chicago and posted a 29-21 record while completing 64.1% of his passes (64 TDs, 38 INTs), as per Pro Football Reference. But he got markedly better after his rookie year, when he went 4-8 and completed 59.4% of his passes with seven touchdowns and seven interceptions. In fact, he earned Pro Bowl honors in 2018 and got the Bears to the playoffs in two of his four seasons (2018, 2020). Nevertheless, he moved on from Chicago after the 2020 campaign and spent 2021 as the backup to Josh Allen in Buffalo.
He’s also a potentially good fit for Matt Canada’s offense, as he offers good mobility and can throw on the run, as noted by Pro Football Focus’ draft profile, which also highlights his weaknesses as a deep passer.
Regardless, the move decreases the likelihood that the Steelers will use a premium pick on a quarterback in the 2022 NFL Draft, with Liberty’s Malik Willis and North Carolina’s Sam Howell among the QBs who have been mocked to the Steelers. However, the team will no doubt add a fourth quarterback sometime prior to the start of minicamp, whether that is former Steelers fifth-round pick Josh Dobbs or a rookie undrafted free agent.
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Steelers Announce the Signing of Arthur Maulet
Meanwhile, on Monday the Steelers formally announced that they have inked veteran cornerback Arthur Maulet to a two-year contract. The signing was initially highlighted on Saturday March 12, with Ian Rapoport of NFL Network breaking the news and reporting that the total value of the deal is $4 million.
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Ex-Bears, Bills QB Mitch Trubisky Has Message for Steelers Fans