Steelers pick Mitchell Trubisky over Jimmy Garoppolo
By Peter Panacy
The Steelers were thought to be in the mix of Jimmy Garoppolo suitors this offseason, but them nabbing former Buffalo Bills QB Mitchell Trubisky says a lot.
The market for San Francisco 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo is drying up.
Fast.
The Niners would ideally like to have their soon-to-be former starting quarterback moved before the beginning of the league’s 2022 new year, which officially begins on March 16, although teams are already entering contract negotiations with pending free agents.
And one of those just put a dent in the Garoppolo market, former Buffalo Bills backup quarterback Mitchell Trubisky, who is signing a two-year deal with one team that could have been in on the Jimmy G sweepstakes, the Pittsburgh Steelers, as reported by NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo:
San Francisco would like to clear a post-trade $25.5 million of Garoppolo’s salary before the league new year, getting the team well underneath the $208.2 million salary cap.
As things stand now, at least according to Over the Cap, the 49ers are $9.6 million over the cap.
Steelers chose cheaper option with Mitchell Trubisky than by going with Jimmy Garoppolo
Trubisky, the No. 2 overall pick by the Chicago Bears back in the 2017 NFL Draft, might have flamed out during his tenure there before signing on with Buffalo to back up quarterback Josh Allen last season.
Yet Trubisky appeared to be a hot name during the NFL Scouting Combine among some circles, and it does make sense why Pittsburgh would go that direction instead of with Garoppolo.
Simply put, the Steelers wouldn’t have to cough up any draft compensation to the Niners, Trubisky is three years younger. And while the official contract numbers haven’t come out yet, he’ll surely cost a lot less than the $25 million Garoppolo is due after a trade.
Granted, other teams could still be in the mix for Jimmy G’s services. The Indianapolis Colts have a void, and it’s possible either the Carolina Panthers or New Orleans Saints wind up showing interest, too.
As for the Steelers, though, they issued a soft pass on Garoppolo.