Thread for the QB competition!

[DuckHodges]

I was a person asking for Trubisky even back in 2021 and for him to replace Ben (Ben ended up playing another year) so I’m not unhappy that he is starting. I thought he was a good player on a bad team and if he was with a better team and coach - he could thrive.

i was initially disappointed at the Pickett draft because I thought we could ride Mitch for several years and our biggest need was OL.

Now, I am not surprised that Mitch has played well and I am very pleasantly surprised that Pickett has played this well. We have a good problem. Having two capable QB should not be a source for angst.

I am all for Mitch starting. Let’s beat those bengals

That's a really good point. My heart says start Kenny now, but to be honest this is the best-case scenario. We have 2 QB's that are capable starters, and both looked good. That's better than Mitch shitting the bed, and Kenny looking totally unprepared, then we start Week 1 starting Mason Rudolph. The thought of that alone makes me wanna throw up

If mitch has a great season though, he's as good as gone. Teams that need a QB will be willing to trade with us, and he (rightfully so) will want a higher paying contract. He's basically playing on a backup salary right now

[El-Gonzo Jackson]

Are you talking pressure from the fans POV or the coaches POV or the front office POV?

I guess if you are some fly by night also ran of a team helmed by an impatient owner, the fans POV could really matter and impact the decision making.

But the Rooneys? Kind of doubt it.

I feel like most of the "pressure" and "bust label creates bust players" takes place in settings where coaches and gms are worried about their jobs. They then do dumb things and pass the buck onto players.

I also feel like that wouldn't happen here. So...let's skip the middleman and get to the KP show regardless of how it looks.

When the whole list of fans, media, teammates, etc starts to doubt the rookie QB, then the rookie QB starts to doubt themselves. Naming Pickett the starter on Day 1, when he hasnt really shown himself to be head and shoulders better than the 5 year veteran, is just setting him up for failure. The Steelers are not about to do that.

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But that could ruin Picketts development!

Just like it hurt Rodgers development I guess.

[Steeler-in-west]

you want to know what you have in Pickett before the next draft - when the QB class will be stronger.

[Rotorhead]

I don’t care which of them starts, I just wanted to see KP starting this last preseason game to see how he handled that from the beginning. I don’t understand why they had MT start as they know what they have with him. Get KP out there, then MR to up the trade value. That is what this armchair coach would have done.

[Mojouw]

It’s just a scenario…nothing written in stone. I’m sure any coach and rookie QB would love a couple extra days to prepare for the first game. Hell…every coach and QB want extra time to prepare for playoff games, regular season games…it’s not that unheard of.

If Trubisky is starting, he has somethjng that Pickett doesn’t. Maybe you don’t see it. But the coaches see everything. You’re not paid to understand it.

I don't understand the things I am paid to understand. So there is that.

Obviously, we (fans) can't know the half of what goes into teams' decision making processes.

But what else are we going to talk about on a fan message board? It is a season defining question and a potentially franchise altering decision set.

We can debate the ins and outs of the 3rd OLB position as well. I can totally have a great time doing that. I just figure that since it hasn't come up - no one else wants to talk about it.

We can also talk about (sticking in the QB realm) the puzzling decision to spend a 7th round pick on a QB and then not play the dude at all. It was just a weird situation. You had to give your top 3 guys more reps than ever before in the off-season. It was an intriguing choice to add another QB to that already difficult mix. Maybe he gets resigned to the PS?

[El-Gonzo Jackson]

Hey, the Eagles are going to cut Carson Strong. Can he get added to the QB competition?

Several posters were high on him at draft time, so maybe practice squad??

[ETL]

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That's a really good point. My heart says start Kenny now, but to be honest this is the best-case scenario. We have 2 QB's that are capable starters, and both looked good. That's better than Mitch shitting the bed, and Kenny looking totally unprepared, then we start Week 1 starting Mason Rudolph. The thought of that alone makes me wanna throw up

If mitch has a great season though, he's as good as gone. Teams that need a QB will be willing to trade with us, and he (rightfully so) will want a higher paying contract. He's basically playing on a backup salary right now

If Mitch has a great season … do we want to let him go? Are we that sure that Pickett is the real deal? Another poster mentioned that we need to see if Pickett is good or not before the upcoming draft to see if we need to draft a QB again or not.

again if Mitch has a great season - that would also be a good problem to have.

[DuckHodges]

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If Mitch has a great season … do we want to let him go? Are we that sure that Pickett is the real deal? Another poster mentioned that we need to see if Pickett is good or not before the upcoming draft to see if we need to draft a QB again or not.

again if Mitch has a great season - that would also be a good problem to have.

If Mitch has a great season, it could be an option to keep him, but it might not be cheap.

These are 3 thoughts that come to my mind if he has a good season.
#1 - If he's a starter, is he going to want to play for 7M a year? He's going to likely want a multi year extension, for a lot more than he's currently playing for ("good" backup money)
#2 - They did spend 1st round capital on Kenny. Are they planning to 'eat' that cost, especially when he's playing well?
#3 - Granted if Trubisky does well, combined with him being currently on a cheap contract, will make him an attractive trade to teams looking for a QB.
#4 - If Pickett can play around the same level, he's still going to be on a rookie contract for 3 years. During this time they could build a strong core of players without having to dump most of their cap space on QB.

[Buckinnuts]

Trade Trubisky, start Kenny,Mason as qb2 resign Chris o!...thats what I would do...

[86WARD]

Garropolo restructured his deal to include no-trade and no-tag clauses so he will be staying in San Francisco for this season. Maybe that bumps Rudolph’s value up a little bit.

Denver
New York
Dallas
Carolina
Los Angeles
Seattle
Detroit
Houston
Jacksonville
Tennessee

All of them could use Rudolph…

[polamalubeast]

The steelers want a fourth round pick for Mason

[Born2Steel]

When was the last time Tomlin went into a season with only 2 QBs?

[86WARD]

The steelers want a fourth round pick for Mason

I don’t think that’s an outrageous ask for some of those teams but I also think they should be open to a 5th round pick as well.

[cubanstogie]

Are you talking pressure from the fans POV or the coaches POV or the front office POV?

I guess if you are some fly by night also ran of a team helmed by an impatient owner, the fans POV could really matter and impact the decision making.

But the Rooneys? Kind of doubt it.

I feel like most of the "pressure" and "bust label creates bust players" takes place in settings where coaches and gms are worried about their jobs. They then do dumb things and pass the buck onto players.

I also feel like that wouldn't happen here. So...let's skip the middleman and get to the KP show regardless of how it looks.

Yep, my take as well. If a few struggles ruin your career you’re not mentally strong enough play QB in this league and be a leader. Very few QB’s light it up from day one without hurdles. Not sure how many golfers on here but Justin Rose missed like 17 cuts in a row to start his career, and is a top player in the world. KP has demonstrated he’s ready. The next step is a faster regular season, after that playoffs , which are even faster. It seems like a waste. Trubisky is a great signing. But he’s also a long shot, just like Paxton Lynch was as well as Haskins.

[Dwinsgames]

Trade Trubisky, start Kenny,Mason as qb2 resign Chris o!...thats what I would do...

Thank God your real life name isnt Omar Khan

[86WARD]

When was the last time Tomlin went into a season with only 2 QBs?

It’s not like they couldn’t sign Oladokun back fairly easily as the third guy now.

Who are they going to get to run the Lamar Jackson scout team?

[DuckHodges]

The steelers want a fourth round pick for Mason

Khan probably wants to keep him as a backup this year, so it's going to take a lot for us to trade him

[cubanstogie]

It’s just a scenario…nothing written in stone. I’m sure any coach and rookie QB would love a couple extra days to prepare for the first game. Hell…every coach and QB want extra time to prepare for playoff games, regular season games…it’s not that unheard of.

If Trubisky is starting, he has somethjng that Pickett doesn’t. Maybe you don’t see it. But the coaches see everything. You’re not paid to understand it.

Obviously he has experience. Playoffs even. But so did Cam Newton, and Belicheat made the tough decision. Besides experience I don’t see anything Trubisky excels at that KP doesn’t. Then again , I don’t get paid to see that either. I coming to grips it’ll be MT. Tomlin conservative.

[polamalubeast]

This is very unlikely....

[Steeler-in-west]

When was the last time Tomlin went into a season with only 2 QBs?

2018 - Ben and Dobbs

[Dwinsgames]

This is very unlikely....

unless blown away is a 5th round pick I guess we are stuck with him ...
(as a side note a 5th round pick would blow me away) I would be even more happy with a almost good Offensive Tackle ...

[polamalubeast]

2018 - Ben and Dobbs

Rudolph was the 3rd QB in 2018....

[cubanstogie]

A second stringer is an insurance policy, you don’t need 2 different policies. A fourth round offensive lineman could start on this team. Hopefully it’s a tactic, Im betting Rudolph done in Pittsburgh.

[polamalubeast]

A second stringer is an insurance policy, you don’t need 2 different policies. A fourth round offensive lineman could start on this team. Hopefully it’s a tactic, Im betting Rudolph done in Pittsburgh.

It happen in the past that the steelers have use 3 starting QB in a season(2005,2010,2012,2015 and 2019)so this is not that rare

[Steeler-in-west]

Rudolph was the 3rd QB in 2018....

check the 2018 roster - two QB’s.

[polamalubeast]

check the 2018 roster - two QB’s.

The steelers did not use Rudolph but he was still on the 53 man roster.He was drafted in 2018

[cubanstogie]

It happen in the past that the steelers have use 3 starting QB in a season(2005,2010,2012,2015 and 2019)so this is not that rare

I get it, I just think a third stringer is a guy with a pulse. There are bigger priorities. If an offer is there they should take it. We know who Rudy is. They’ll definitely have a third stringer or guy on practice squad, resign Oladokun.

[polamalubeast]

[teegre]

Trade CONFIRMED

[Steeler-in-west]

The steelers did not use Rudolph but he was still on the 53 man roster.He was drafted in 2018

your right. He didn’t suit up.