Experts don’t approve of the Mitch Trubisky signing, but Steelers fans are on board

The Pittsburgh Steelers were active in the first wave of NFL free agency, and the first move they made was to help provide some depth, and experience, at the quarterback position. Within hours of the legal tampering period beginning the Steelers signed Mitchell Trubisky to a two-year deal.

Of course, the move was met with mixed emotions. Some loved it, some hated it. Either way, it had a ripple effect on the team’s needs heading into the 2022 NFL Draft. As for the experts at ESPN they gave a grade for the main free agent acquisitions in the league, and it wasn’t a pretty report for the Steelers.

Take a look at what ESPN gave the addition of Trubisky:

Steelers agree to sign QB Mitchell Trubisky

The deal: Two years, $14.25 million

Grade: C

Look, you have to have somebody back there, and obviously (regardless of what they might have said) the Steelers weren’t sold on Mason Rudolph as the direct successor to Ben Roethlisberger. Trubisky has intrigued Pittsburgh since it became clear Roethlisberger was retiring. The Steelers like the idea of a QB with some mobility, and Trubisky offers that. He has won games in the league and has flashed high-end potential.

The problem he had in Chicago was a lack of consistency, and after a year as a backup in Buffalo, there’s still no way to know if he has gotten that ironed out or can do so. I wouldn’t be surprised to see the Steelers still look at a QB relatively high up in the draft. But if the QB room stays the same between now and camp, it’s not out of the question that Rudolph could beat out Trubisky for the Steelers’ starting job.

But Trubisky gives them an intriguing option at the position, and if his year with Brian Daboll, Ken Dorsey and Josh Allen was as beneficial as many believe it might have been, it’s still possible the Steelers hit on something. It feels likely this is a low-risk deal for Pittsburgh. — Graziano

What this means for the 2022 draft: The Steelers have long been thought of as a team that would draft a quarterback in the first round. That’s potentially changing. The Steelers can alternatively use the No. 20 overall selection to address an offensive line that has lost key players in recent years or the pass-rusher position opposite T.J. Watt. The 2022 quarterback class’ weak value is being put on display, with so many teams jumping to find starters outside of the draft.

While ESPN wasn’t a huge fan of the signing, for multiple reasons, the Steelers’ fan base was on the opposite side of the fence. According to our DraftKings Reacts survey, which ran earlier this week, the vast majority of the 2,000+ who voted approved of the addition of Trubisky to the Steelers’ roster.

The fact is, there is no guarantee any of the NFL’s free agent moves or trades will pan out. Teams want to make the best deal for their franchise and what’s best for the future of the team. Will the addition of Trubisky turn out to be the answer for the Steelers at the quarterback position? No one knows, but Steelers fans seem excited for the possibility.

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