Farabaugh: Mitch Trubisky Inconsistent in Steelers Training Camp

Nick Farabaugh |

Aug 5, 2022

It is tough to read Mitch Trubisky. If someone asked what Trubisky was doing in training camp, there is a whole cache of good, but there is an equal amount of ammo to say he was bad. Thursday’s practice was the perfect way to highlight everything Trubisky did, both good and bad.

Sure, Trubisky made a really nice throw to George Pickens in seven shots. But then on the very next play, Trubisky missed an open Diontae Johnson open underneath, costing the team what should have been a touchdown. In the play after that, Trubisky was met in his face by pressure from Genard Avery. He made an ill-advised decision to float a ball in direction of Anthony McFarland, which was almost intercepted by Cam Sutton.

Trubisky would then get on the air and look great in the one-on-one drills. That included a gorgeous deep ball that found Diontae Johnson’s hands downfield. In this drill, it was Trubisky who looked like the star of the group. His natural arm talent looked beautiful. However, when it comes down to it, how valuable is that actually? If reports are to be believed, Trubisky likely has the driver’s seat in this quarterback competition.

Still, his performance over the first two weeks is one of intrigue and concern. Trubisky puts in some incredibly high highs but pairs them with low lows. It comes and goes with days as well. While Mason Rudolph has been the most consistent of all the quarterbacks by sticking at the same level, Trubisky’s had the ebbs and flows along with Kenny Pickett.

How to Evaluate Mitch Trubisky

The tough thing with Trubisky is that the last time he was on a football field in Chicago, he was bad. It is not just a normal type of bad either, but Trubsiky was legitimately awful. He ended up being benched for Nick Foles and the ups and the downs of that season simply caught up to him. Of course, he was in a really bad situation with little to no weapons and Matt Nagy dragging him down.

When watching that Chicago tape, the highs were not there. So, Trubisky certainly looks better than that version of himself. The year in Buffalo is a fun wrinkle in this all. Josh Allen and Brian Daboll are some fantastic people to learn from. Could it help him steady himself and become the next Ryan Tannehill? Sure, I suppose that is always possible. If Trubisky ends up being Tannehill, and he has shown flashes of that in Latrobe, that would be a win all around for Pittsburgh.

His two-minute drill on Wednesday was the stuff that every quarterback dreams of executing. His inconsistencies make him a quarterback that is simply tough to get a finger on. There is no doubt that the ceiling of this Steelers team is probably highest under Trubisky. His mobility has been a huge factor in team drills as well, as Trubisky has created something out of nothing with his legs.

So, when evaluating Trubisky, it is a see what you get the type of deal. Trubisky could easily hurt the Steelers with some of the dangerous decisions he has made in practice. Even more, he can help them become more explosive with some of the gorgeous deep balls he has uncorked.

Mitch Trubisky is a flawed quarterback and it appears that is still true in Pittsbugh. The question is how much those flaws can be diminished by the Steelers’ offense and if Trubisky can find a flow of consistency. That is what changed for Tannehill in Tennessee. If Trubisky wants to find that magic, that will need to happen in Pittsburgh.