Three Free Agency Destinations For Mitchell Trubisky

Mitchell Trubisky
Mitchell Trubisky / Timothy T Ludwig/GettyImages
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This offseason's quarterback market is not nearly as interesting as last offseason, despite what rumors might suggest. Russell Wilson doesn't appear to be on the move and Aaron Rodgers still hasn't decided what he's going to do. Carson Wentz might be on his way out again but his stock has fallen even further than this time last year. This year's QB prospects don't hold a candle to the 2021 class. It's a bad time to be in the market for a quarterback.

This is why the news out of the NFL Combine featured one very surprising name as a target for the QB-needy teams around the league: Mitchell Trubisky. Trubisky spent last year in Buffalo behind Josh Allen and has apparently rehabilitated his image around the league. ESPN insiders Dan Graziano and Jeremy Fowler said Trubisky's services are in high demand and may end up earning a deal worth $10 million annually.

Trubisky was widely seen as a terrible quarterback and far from starting-caliber after his tenure with the Chicago Bears ended. But he did have his moments and expectations will be much different his second time around. A smart offensive coordinator can scheme around Trubisky's lack of elite arm strength as long as the former No. 3 overall pick has improved his decision-making skills. He isn't a true dual-threat QB but can do some damage on the ground. He won't carry his team to the playoffs but it's not hard to see him leading a decent offense.

With all that in mind, here are three possible landing spots for Trubisky once he hits free agency later this month.

Pittsburgh Steelers

The Steelers are arguably the most QB-needy team in the league after Ben Roethlisberger retired. We've spilled a lot of digital ink on how poor of a position the franchise has put itself in after refusing to invest in quarterback depth, leaving themselves with only Mason Rudolph and Dwayne Haskins in a very weak signal-caller draft. Trubisky would be a better fit than either of those two. He is a better player and his weaknesses actually overlap quite a bit with what the team had to deal with in the shape of Roethlisberger's aging arm. They wouldn't have to make up a new playbook for Trubisky. Pittsburgh has an excellent defense that only needs average production from the offense to keep the game close. Pairing need with fit, the Steelers make the most sense here.

Washington Commanders

The Commanders are not sold on Taylor Heinicke. Whether or not Trubisky would be better is certainly a topic of debate, but the noise we've been hearing suggests Washington believes Heinicke's ceiling has been reached already. The Commanders are somewhat similar to Pittsburgh in that they have playmakers at receiver and a good defense, meaning the quarterback just needs to not screw up to have a chance week-in and week-out. And given the record of decision-making with this franchise, it isn't hard to imagine the Commanders out-bidding everyone else to ensure they get Trubisky.

Denver Broncos

The QB shuffle in Denver appears set to continue indefinitely. They're the most popular landing spot for Rodgers but he has to ask for a trade before that can come to fruition, and he has not done that yet. Teddy Bridgewater is a free agent and Drew Lock has nothing to offer. The Broncos clearly believe they have a good enough roster to compete in a loaded AFC West with more consistent play under center. Should they strike out on Rodgers or any of the other QBs potentially available via trade, Trubisky is the most likely target. He'd do fine with the weapons at his disposal and the division isn't really loaded with playmakers defensively that can make his life miserable. It's another patchwork solution for Denver unless Trubisky is an entirely different player now, but they're running out of both time and options.