Steelers Release Veteran QB Ahead of NFL Playoffs

Getty The Pittsburgh Steelers released Trace McSorley.

The Pittsburgh Steelers’ quarterback room was crowded once again this season.

They entered the year with Kenny Pickett, Mitch Trubisky and Mason Rudolph, each of whom had previously started for the team, on the roster.

However, an injury to Pickett at the beginning of December created a temporary need for more depth at the position, leading to the addition of Trace McSorley to the practice squad last month.

But his time with the Steelers has now come to an end. The Steelers announced on January 9 that they had released McSorley from the practice squad.

https://x.com/steelers/status/1744844629462131103?s=20

A Tough 2023 for McSorley

Despite not being drafted until the sixth round in 2019, McSorley had managed to keep himself consistently on NFL rosters through the first four seasons of his career.

Despite attempting only 10 passes in two and a half years with the Baltimore Ravens, McSorley was able to carve out a role as their third-string QB.

After falling to their practice squad, he was picked up by the Arizona Cardinals to finish out the 2021 season.

In 2022 with the Cardinals, he got the only start of his NFL career after Kyler Murray was injured. On Christmas Day, he was almost able to pick up the win against Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, but the Cardinals ended up losing in 19-16 overtime. McSorley was 24-of-45 for 217 yards, no touchdowns and an interception.

In 2023, he had a much tougher time staying on a roster.

He spent the offseason in New England after signing a one-year deal with the Patriots.

He didn’t end up making it to the start of the regular season with the Pats, who released him at the end of August.

His next stop was the Chicago Bears, who added him to their practice squad in October before releasing him at the end of November.

McSorley once again finds himself looking for a team, and he could have to wait a little as teams prepare to reshape their rosters in the offseason.

The Steelers QB Who Could Join McSorley Next

With Pickett fully recovered from his ankle injury, the Steelers’ QB room is crowded again.

In fact, it has become so crowded that the team ended up listing Trubisky as inactive for the Week 18 game against the Ravens, making him available as their emergency quarterback for the game.

The move seems to make it more likely that the team will let him go after the season is over. Steelers Now speculated on January 5 that the Steelers would do just that, while USA Today’s Steelers Wire predicted in December that Pittsburgh would retain him.

The Steelers do have an out in Trubisky’s contract, and letting go of him would save the team just under $3 million in cap space. Trubisky’s play has been disappointing in the two seasons since the Steelers signed him to compete for their starting job, making it difficult to justify his continued presence on the roster beyond this season.

If Trubisky is released, it could open the door for McSorley to come back to Pittsburgh as the team’s emergency QB for 2024.