Steelers Could 'Possibly' Draft QB Despite Mitch Trubisky Contract, per GM Colbert

The Pittsburgh Steelers may have signed Mitchell Trubisky this offseason to serve as their starting quarterback in 2022, but that doesn't mean his job is secure. 

“We’ve been at top quarterback pro days for the first time in a long time because we may be in a position where we have (a need). Does that mean we’re taking one? Possibly," Steelers general manager Kevin Colbert told reporters Sunday.

Trubisky signed a two-year, $14.3 million deal with the Steelers earlier this month that could be worth up to $27 million, per Tom Pelissero of NFL Network. He spent the 2021 season as the backup to Josh Allen after playing for the Chicago Bears for his first four NFL seasons. 

The Steelers considering a long-term solution other than Trubisky is no surprise. The North Carolina product was far from impressive across his 57 NFL games (50 starts), throwing for 10,652 yards and 64 touchdowns against 38 interceptions. While he's a clear upgrade over late-career Ben Roethlisberger, Trubisky's ceiling is a below-average NFL starter.

Pitt's Kenny Pickett and Liberty's Malik Willis have emerged as the top two quarterbacks in the 2022 draft, but neither are home run prospects. It's possible, if not likely, a quarterback will fail to go inside the top 10 for the first time since 2013. 

The scarcity of the quarterback position makes it unlikely both are available when the Steelers select at No. 20 overall, but there's a decent chance one of the two is sitting there. Pittsburgh could also seek to make a rare trade up in the draft and grab its preferred option.

Ryan Dunleavy of the New York Post reported the Steelers would consider a trade if their preferred quarterback falls to No. 10 or lower. 

Pickett is considered the surer bet of the two after spending four years as a starter at Pitt and emerging as a Heisman finalist in 2021. He's also not considered to have any one spectacular skill; he's a prospect who does most things well but doesn't pop off the screen.

Willis is almost the polar opposite, gifted with the physical skills to garner comparisons to Josh Allen but also major question marks about the level of competition he's faced and his decision-making in the pocket. 

With Colbert retiring after the draft, the final act of his Steelers career may be selecting the face of the franchise for the next decade—assuming the choice the team makes ultimately pays off.