2023 Steelers Training Camp Preview: The Quarterbacks
It’s hard to believe but the Pittsburgh Steelers 2023 Training Camp is right around the corner. As we countdown the days until camp begins, SCU will highlight each position group detailing the players who will be competing for a spot on the Steelers’ final 53-man roster at the end of this Summer.
Last year, the biggest headline as the Steelers reported to Latrobe for training camp was “Who will replace Ben Roethlisberger?”
The most talked about position during the entire Steelers offseason in 2022 is quietly flying under the radar as the team shifted towards giving last year’s first round draft pick, QB Kenny Pickett, the reigns of the offense.
Not much has changed from the three-way back at Saint Vincent’s College last Summer, but the order of balance has shifted. Here are the names you need to know heading into camp.
Kenny Pickett
Pickett, who was the only quarterback selected in the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft, ended up on the field for the first time during Week 4’s matchup against the New York Jets. He would be firmly installed as the starter from that point on, albeit with a few hiccups where the Pitt product was sidelined due to the league’s concussion protocol.
Pickett would finish the year completing 63% of his 389 pass attempts for 2,404 yards, 7 touchdowns and 9 interceptions. He also scored 3 touchdowns rushing.
He looks to improve upon a stellar showing following the Steelers Week 9 bye. From those eight games, Pickett threw for 1,442 yards, 5 touchdowns and 1 interception.
There’s a lot of optimism for Pickett’s second season, seeing as last year he was in a three-way battle for the starting job during training camp and wasn’t taking first-team reps fully through the first month of the regular season.
Now the job is his, and with a full offseason – and improved offensive line – it will be interesting to see how the young passer progresses.
Mitchell Trubisky
The second overall pick of the 2017 NFL Draft, Mitch Trubisky was one of the biggest free agent names available at the quarterback position last season.
He was signed with the intent of starting, which he did, but his performance on the field – which was safe to a fault of the Steelers not being able to score points – saw him lose his job to Pickett.
With over a $10 million cap hit this offseason for a single year remaining on his current contract, the thought was Trubisky was either going to be traded or released. Instead, Steelers GM Omar Khan extended the veteran to a new deal which keeps him as Pickett’s backup for the foreseeable future.
In 7 games last season, Trubisky completed 65% of his 180 passes for 1,252 yards, 4 touchdowns and 5 interceptions. He also scored twice using his legs.
The biggest knock on Trubisky’s game was seeing the middle of the field and also taking risks – deep shots – to his receivers. As a backup, the pressure is no longer on Trubisky to produce gaudy numbers and instead, be a reliable hand who can spell Pickett as necessary while also help the younger quarterback develop.
This is likely the best-case scenario for the veteran, as the quarterback market shrunk during the offseason due to a large draft class of young QBs. He will now be relied on as the new “Charlie Batch” of the rebuilt Steelers offense.
Mason Rudolph
The stories of Rudolph’s demise were greatly exaggerated, as around this time last year, many fans felt he would be traded or cut. Instead, Rudolph hung around as the team’s third option, and though he didn’t get an opportunity to throw a pass in a regular season game, he’s shown enough that the front office re-signed him for another year.
Rudolph had a tremendous 2020 training camp, oftentimes making onlookers doubt if he shouldn’t be given a chance to legitimately start. However, with Pickett’s arrival, a starting nod is clearly not in Rudolph’s future.
Instead, the sixth-year pro will carry on battling with Trubisky for the backup spot behind Pickett, but will likely wind up in a now coveted third quarterback position – the NFL has now relaxed rules which will allow an “emergency quarterback” to dress on game days, which means if either of the two signal callers ahead of QB3 end up sidelined during a game, clubs won’t have to rely on a running back to go under center. (See also, Christian McCaffrey with the 49ers last season.)
Rudolph instantly leaps ahead to one of the more seasoned, if not the top third option in the entire league, having started ten games in his career and being the longest-tenured quarterback on the roster.
He has demonstrated in the past that, if called upon in a pinch, he can go in and manage a game.
That’s perfect for a Steelers team that saw Pickett sidelined twice in 2022 with concussions.
Others in Camp
Tanner Morgan, an undrafted quarterback out of Minnesota, will enter camp firmly as a “camp arm” who will help run drills and perhaps audition for a future spot on a team – Pittsburgh or otherwise.
Morgan had terrific 2019 collegiate season (3,253 yards, 30 TDs, 7 INT) but failed to back that up in the three following campaigns.
The QB4 spot almost sees zero action during a now reduced three-game preseason schedule. Last year’s seventh round pick, Chris Oladokun, barely participated in drills early on and never saw the field during the exhibition games last summer.
Therefore, it’s hard to reason that Morgan will do anything further, though FCS product Devlin Hodges made an impression several years ago that saw him make the 53-man roster and eventually even play. That situation was a bit different, however, with Ben Roethlisberger taking veteran days off during camp which allowed for Hodges to get extra practice reps to show he belonged.
Those reps will be hard to come by for Morgan, as the Steelers will give as many reps as necessary to develop Pickett and prepare the second-year quarterback for the 2023 season.
