Trending
Don't look now but a paper-thin NFL quarterback draft class -- I defy anyone to identify one candidate not named Pickett, Willis, Corral or Howell -- has several NFL teams in full-blown panic mode.
General managers have used the current free agency period to play "Let's Make A Deal," trying to replicate the magic the Rams found last season when they swapped their former No. 1 overall pick for an 11-year veteran with exactly zero playoff wins who promptly steered them to their first Super Bowl in 22 years.
The flurry of recent activity involving starting NFL quarterbacks is enough to make your head spin.
One day after Denver acquired Russell Wilson from the Seahawks, the Colts sent Carson Wentz to Washington before snapping up Matt Ryan from the Falcons.
Salary-cap issues evidently did not deter Green Bay, LA or Cleveland from shelling out stupid money to ink veteran signalcallers to long-term deals.
Two months removed from his 38th birthday, the Packers signed Aaron Rodgers to a four-year, $150 million deal while the Rams extended Matthew Stafford for a cool $135 million.
The Browns mortgaged their future (again) by trading three future first round picks for DeShaun Watson then promptly guaranteed him an insane $230 million despite the fact the former Texan did not take a single snap last season.
Here in Pittsburgh, Steeler brass have appeared to address the Benpocalypse by winning the Mitch Trubisky sweepstakes.
Trubisky. Now that is one surname I eventually expect the media to have a field day with.
If he starts a fight in training camp will headlines label him as "frisky?"
Once camp ends, will he decide to live or commute into town from Kiski? If he frequently throws into double coverage and piles up the interceptions will his decision making be deemed "too risky?"
If he thrives in his role and leads his team back to the promised land will he consider marketing his own whiskey?
The possibilities are well... you get the gist.
Steeler fans will need to temper their expectations since recent history tells us that team success typically wanes in the years following the departure of a Super Bowl-winning, future first ballot Hall of Fame quarterback.
After parting company with Tom Brady, the Patriots fell from 12-4 to 7-9, missing the playoffs and snapping a string of 17 consecutive seasons posting double-digit wins.
Last year, the Saints fell to 9-8 after Drew Brees led them to a 12-4 record and the 2020 NFC South Division title while the Colts slumped from 10-6 to an abysmal 2-14 in the year following Peyton Manning's swan song in Indy.
Brady, Brees and Manning each had the luxury of throwing to what many considered to be an elite corps of receivers. The weapons Trubisky inherits pale in comparison and a significant upgrade is needed in this area if the Steelers are expected to unseat Cincinnati in the AFC North.
Trubisky appears to check all the boxes as far as age, health and experience. He also signed a relatively short, two-year deal.
While much higher priorities now exist at other positions, it is conceivable that, if Willis or Pickett is still available, the Steelers may just end up with the next future face of their franchise.
Contz was a starting offensive tackle on Penn State's first national championship team in 1982 and played six NFL seasons with New Orleans and Cleveland. He published a book in 2017, "When the Lions Roared: Joe Paterno and One of College Football's Greatest Teams." He resides in Pittsburgh.