What is the best landing spot for Mitchell Trubisky?

By: Jake Rajala

The former second overall pick by the Chicago Bears Mitchell Trubisky has 10,652 passing yards, 64 passing touchdowns, and 38 interceptions in his career. Trubisky escaped Alcatraz, also known as Matt Nagy island, in the 2021 offseason. The former Bears QB suited up for the Buffalo Bills as a backup QB in the 2021-2022 season.

Trubisky gained time to sharpen his skillset and football mind as a young, backup QB. After a season of playing in Bills Mafia, Trubisky is facing free agency and ready to show he’s capable of starting in the NFL again. Bruce Wayne went to the Tibetan Himalayas to gain wisdom and physical strength in “Batman Begins”. It was safe to say that Wayne returned home with more confidence and ass-kicking ability. It’s time for Trubisky to follow a similar path as the caped crusader that beats up villains in Gotham.

The Bills QB can return as a backup QB to Josh Allen in the 2022 offseason or he can opt to join a team where he has a better opportunity to start. Here are a few clubs that would make the most sense to ink Trubisky.

Cleveland Browns

The Cleveland Browns will more than likely divorce with Baker Mayfield this offseason. Whether or not the Browns draft a QB in round one, it would be smart for Andrew Barry to sign a veteran QB. There is a sharp idea that Kevin Stefanski acquires his old QB Kirk Cousins, as well. Trubisky would be the best value QB in free agency that would be on the table for the third place AFC North squad. It’s also not a stretch to suggest that Trubisky could be an upgrade over their recent QB ability. Interestingly, here is a closer look at how Trubisky’s performance from 2020 compares to the Browns QB performance in 2021.

Mitchell Trubisky (10 games):

• 205.5 passing YPG
• 16 passing touchdowns
• 8 interceptions

Baker Mayfield (14 games):

• 215 passing YPG
• 17 passing touchdowns
• 13 interceptions

Trubisky could take the reigns in Browns and potentially be a more talented version of Baker and himself. The former Bear would have Nick Chubb, Kareem Hunt, Jarvis Landry, and a defense led by Myles Garrett to help him reach the playoffs.

New York Jets

The New York Jets were so desperate for QB help in 2021 that they traded for their former mediocre signal-caller, Joe Flacco. The former Super Bowl MVP wasn’t the answer to their woes. The 2021 rookie Zach Wilson also vastly struggled last season with nine passing touchdowns to 11 interceptions. In Wilson’s favor, the Jets yielded a brutal supporting cast for the former BYU QB.

The Jets will need to add offensive line talent and a shiny weapon around their QB spot, but they will surely look to upgrade their QB position itself. Mekhi Becton, who was the Jets best offensive player in 2020, also missed 16 games in 2021. He has been rumored to be traded this offseason. The outlook for Wilson is very murky and they will need to bring in quality competition at the vital position. Flacco, who is 37 years old and many years removed from impressive production, is not the profile that should make Wilson sweat in a QB battle. The Jets should bring in Trubisky on a short-term deal and allow him to wreak havoc on his former AFC East squad. The Jets could even ink Trubisky’s former number one wideout in Allen Robinson.

Pittsburgh Steelers

The Pittsburgh Steelers are in a risky situation with Ben Roethlisberger retiring. Dwayne Haskins and Mason Rudolph left standing post Big Ben’s retirement, so the question mark is bigger than ever for Mike Tomlin. The Steelers have been linked to Kenny Pickett in the first round of the 2022 draft, but it’s far from a guarantee if he will be remaining on the draft board at the 20th pick.

The AFC North squad that was gifted a holiday miracle with their ticket to the playoffs, could look to retool and not “rebuild” in the 2022 offseason. They proudly boast the 2022 Defensive Player of The Year T.J. Watt and weapons around the QB spot on offense (Najee Harris, Dionate Johnson, and Chase Claypool).

If the Steelers have a quality QB in 2022 like the old version of Andy Dalton in his early Cincinnati days, or the Alex Smith in his Kansas City Chiefs tenure, they would hold a high chance of returning to the playoffs. The more mature Mitchell Trubisky could utilize the Steelers weapons well and lead the Steelers to successful seasons ahead. The question is: how comfortable are the Steelers with his ceiling?

Honorable mentions:

Buffalo Bills

The Bills have to love the idea of bringing back Trubisky as the backup QB. According to Pro Football Rumors, the Bills want Trubisky back as the number two QB. He’s one of the top backup QBs in the NFL. The Bills are also a strong Super Bowl contender and it is logical for them to want a strong replacement for Josh Allen if he faces an unexpected injury. With that stated, it’s also wouldn’t be a major surprise if Allen misses time from an injury. The Bills starting QB commonly runs with the ball, so he easily faces endures countless big hits in the open field. Nick Foles was able to properly fill in for the Eagles when Carson Wentz went down with an injury. Trubisky has the potential to be a backup QB that can win pivotal playoff games if Allen suffers a devastating injury.

If a team like the Jets acquire a QB like Jameis Winston or Marcus Mariota, Trubisky could consider returning to his current elite organization. If the Steelers or Saints feel comfortable with a rookie QB joining their current QB room, then Trubisky could be passed on by those potential suitors. Although, I do expect Trubisk to first look at joining a team where he can sign a big deal and have a strong chance of having the keys to the starting offense.

New Orleans Saints

I expect the New Orleans Saints, who retained long-time Saints offensive coordinator Pete Carmichael as the offensive coordinator, to keep Jameis Winston in the building for 2022 and potentially beyond. Although, there’s a chance that Winston is lured by a different team in free agency. If Winston is out, I would really foresee the Saints being aggressive for Mitchell Trubisky.

Carmichael would most likely prefer Trubisky’s pocket passing skills and age over the signing of Marcus Mariota or Tyrod Taylor. The Saints have been rumored to select a QB in round one for each of the past several years. They may need a talented rookie QB now more than ever, but they should ink Winston or Trubisky regardless of selecting a rookie QB in an early-round this year. They have a roster surrounding the QB position that is still built to compete for a Super Bowl trophy in the near future.