The Kenny Pickett era in Pittsburgh might have to wait.
The Athletic's Mark Kaboly wrote this week that it's "difficult to imagine a scenario" where veteran Mitch Trubisky doesn't begin the 2022 NFL season as the Steelers' starting quarterback.
"Unless Trubisky gets hurt or plays terribly in camp and the preseason, it’s difficult to imagine a scenario where he doesn’t start the season as the No. 1," Kaboly wrote. "How long he stays there will depend on how he plays."
Trubisky, 27, joined the Steelers in March on a two-year, $14 million free-agent deal. The former No. 2 overall pick spent last season backing up Josh Allen on the Buffalo Bills following a four-year stint with the Chicago Bears. Trubisky, who threw just eight passes over his six appearances with the Bills, hasn't started an NFL game since Chicago's wild-card round loss to the New Orleans Saints in January of 2021.
Less than two months after signing Trubisky, the Steelers selected Pitt product Kenny Pickett with the 20th overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft. Pickett, a four-year starter with the Panthers, was considered by many as the most NFL-ready signal-caller in this year's draft.
But, as Kaboly noted in his story, the 24-year-old rookie was behind both Trubisky and Mason Rudolph in the Steelers' OTAs and minicamp as he only received third-team reps.
So while Pickett may be the long-term replacement for retired legend Ben Roethlisberger, it's looking like Trubisky will take over the starting reins in Pittsburgh first.