The Steelers got a great value in Mitchell Trubisky contract

While there are still plenty of question marks surrounding the Steelers quarterback room, one can’t help but be happy with the value they got in free agency.

As of now, when someone utters the name Mitchell Trubisky, five different opinions are tossed out about him. No matter what you think about him as a player, it is hard to argue that the Steelers didn’t get a good value out of the deal they inked him to. His two-year, 14.285-million-dollar deal is hard to dislike.

For starters, let’s just look at Trubisky himself. While he is considered a bust due to his time with the Bears, he did flash a strong arm and some scrambling ability while there. He just never developed into a capable decision-maker. He barely played with the Bills last season, but he was in the same quarterback room as Josh Allen.

When Allen came out of Wyoming, he was plagued with identical issues. He was athletic on the ground and had a cannon for an arm but the decision-making and accuracy were bad and held the Bills’ offense back. Brian Daboll and Ken Dorsey were key in developing him, and Trubisky had the chance to work with them last season while in Buffalo.

Steelers got a good value at quarterback

All of this doesn’t mean that Trubisky will suddenly be a top quarterback in the mold of Allen, but there is potential worth looking at. In terms of his contract, just over 7-million dollars a season seems fair for a player you likely intend to start. The quarterback market is constantly inflated, so his value is a good one all things considered.

It used to be those high-end bridge quarterbacks who got paid well. Just a few years ago Mike Glennon got 15 million a season from the Bears only for them to turn draft Trubisky and start him a couple of games into the season. While those top-end deals aren’t as common anymore, low-end quarterbacks still get paid.

Trubisky signed the third richest quarterback contract of free agency, behind Jameis Winston and Marcus Mariota. While Winston is the more complete player right now, Trubisky arguably has the best potential from the group. He also signed a deal for only half of what Winston got, and the argument could be made that he isn’t half the player Winston is at this point.

On top of this, the deal is structured in a way where it will be hard for the Steelers to lose. Trubisky only has a cap hit of 3.66 million this season and can be cut next year for 5 million in savings. That means if Trubisky is a wreck by the end of the season, the Steelers can easily walk away. If he plays well, then the team has a value on their hands at quarterback.

Some will point out that the incentives in the deal, ones that could pay Trubisky closer to 30 million over two seasons, make this an overpay. If those incentives were considered to be likely to earn though, then his initial contract would account for that. Instead, these incentives aren’t likely to be earned. That means if they are, the issue won’t be Trubisky’s play, as he will be far exceeding expectations.

While work still needs to be done at quarterback long-term, Trubisky was a great value for what he brings to the team. While the odds he transformed into a legitimate starter after one season in a strong quarterback offense are unlikely, there is almost no risk attached with this deal. All-in-all, the Steelers adding Trubisky has to be seen as a win for this team.