Steelers to sign free-agent QB Mitchell Trubisky to 2-year contract

Not wasting any time diving into the free-agent market, the Pittsburgh Steelers are signing quarterback Mitchell Trubisky to a two-year contract.

ESPN first reported the signing, which cannot become official until the new NFL calendar year begins Wednesday.

The Steelers made the move about an hour into the 48-hour “legal tampering” period when teams can negotiate with free agents not on their roster.

Trubisky, the No. 2 overall pick by Chicago in the 2017 draft, spent last season with the Buffalo Bills, where he backed up Josh Allen. Trubisky attempted only eight passes in 2021.

Trubisky was one of the top free-agent quarterbacks on the market. He was attractive because of his 29-21 career record as a starter with the Bears from 2017-20. He has completed 64.1% of his passes in his career with 64 touchdown passes and 38 interceptions. Trubisky also has mobility, which Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said the organization is seeking in Ben Roethlisberger’s successor.

The Steelers entered the week about $27 million under the $208.2 million salary cap. The Trubisky signing lessens the chance of the organization taking a quarterback in the NFL Draft. The Steelers hold the No. 20 overall pick.

Until the Steelers pursued Trubisky, the anticipated starting quarterback was Mason Rudolph, who is under contract for one more year. The Steelers also tendered a contract to former first-round draft pick Dwayne Haskins, a restricted free agent.

In February, outgoing general manager Kevin Colbert said that if the season were on hand, Rudolph would be the starter. Drafted in the third round in 2018, Rudolph was the third-string quarterback as a rookie and Roethlisberger’s backup the next three seasons. He made eight of his 10 career NFL starts in 2019 after Roethlisberger suffered a season-ending elbow injury.

Rudolph has a 5-4-1 record as a starter.

Haskins, who spent last season third on the Steelers depth chart, made 13 starts with Washington over the 2019-20 seasons before being released. His starting record was 3-10.

Trubisky had better success in Chicago, yet his time with the Bears was one of unfulfilled potential.

In the 2017 draft, the Bears traded up one spot and selected Trubisky after the Cleveland Browns drafted defensive end Myles Garrett with the No. 1 overall pick. Quarterbacks selected later in the first round were Patrick Mahomes by Kansas City and Deshaun Watson by Houston.

“He was always being compared to them and just, you know, was never going to be able to live up to some of the things that Mahomes and Watson and some of those guys did,” Bills coach Sean McDermott said at the NFL Combine. “But he’s a really good quarterback, and I think he’ll have a good opportunity.”

Trubisky was selected to the Pro Bowl in 2018 when he went 11-3 as a starter, completed two-thirds of his passes for 3,223 yards, 24 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. He also rushed for 421 yards, averaging 4.9 yards per attempt, and three scores.

Trubisky started 15 games the following season, going 8-7, while his touchdowns dropped to 17, and he gained only 193 yards on the ground.

In 2020, the Bears traded for Nick Foles and declined Trubisky’s fifth-year option. He was benched 10 quarters into the season despite a 2-0 start. He reclaimed his job later in the year and was the quarterback in the Bears’ wild-card playoff loss to New Orleans.

The following offseason, Trubisky signed a one-year deal with the Bills to be Allen’s backup.

“He’s just a marry-your-daughter type of guy,” Bills general manager Brandon Beane said at the NFL Combine. “Just shows up every day, a smile on his face, works hard. You know, for his ups and downs in Chicago, never said a negative word about anything. And I’ve been around players when they’ve come from a stop that didn’t go as well, and they can’t help themselves. ‘Man, I like this place better because y’all do this and that.’

“And, Mitch, never (did that). He’s such a pro.”

Related:

• Mitch Trubisky discusses prospect of playing with Steelers: 'I think of a legendary franchise'
• First Call: Steelers still in mix for JuJu Smith-Schuster; Browns pushing Deshaun Watson; Bryan Reynolds trade talk
• Madden Monday: What Tom Brady's return means for the Steelers