The Steelers are in the midst of a quarterback competition as they opened their first day of mandatory minicamp here at the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex.
But while there is a competition to see who will replace Ben Roethlisberger as the team's starting quarterback that will heat up when the team opens training camp July 26, there's also a very defined pecking order of how things have been run to this point in the offseason program.
Mitch Trubisky is No. 1. Mason Rudolph is No. 2. And rookie Kenny Pickett is No. 3.
It could be a glimpse into how things will be once the regular season begins, as well.
"Coach has been very clear that Mitch is 1 and he’s been working with the 1s and doing a real good job of that," Matt Canada said Tuesday on the first day of minicamp, referring to Mike Tomlin. "Mason is at 2 and Kenny is 3. We’re doing it that way based on experience, based on resumes. Coach made that decision. You can read whatever you want into it.
"Coach has been very clear. We also were very clear this is a real laid-out plan of how we’re going to evolve and find who our quarterback is going to be for the 2022 season."
That is how those three have worked to this point and how things will continue to progress -- at least for now.
How the team handles things once players report to Latrobe might be different. But there seems to be -- at least a perception -- that Trubisky is the team's starter and Rudolph and Pickett will need to do a lot to unseat him.
The Steelers signed Trubisky immediately in free agency to a two-year, $14.25-million deal. The six-year veteran has 50 career NFL starts, compared to 10 for Rudolph and none for Pickett, the Steelers' first-round draft pick this year.
And that experience could be the deciding factor when it comes to deciding who the team's starter will be.
"You want to find the guy. Certainly, it’s the best one," Canada said. "But what makes him the best? Is it taking care of the ball? Is it the red zone? Is it leading the team? All those things. That’s a Coach Tomlin decision we’re all going through. The plan is so clear. We’re putting in our offense. We’re going to try to find who does this well? Who does this? Who has these intangible things.
"We’ll find the guys who are the best for each spot, and quarterback obviously is a big part of that."
It does make things interesting for the other players, as well.
"You try to work with them all the same to give them the best chance to show what they can do," Pat Freiermuth told me. "At least that's the way the tight end room is approaching it."
Rudolph has a leg up on the other two in that respect. He has been with the Steelers the longest, serving as the backup last season in Canada's first season as offensive coordinator. He also was with Canada two years ago when he was quarterbacks coach.
But the Steelers are approaching this season much the same way they did a year ago when Canada was elevated. They're installing the offense as if everyone is seeing it for the first time.
"We have to start at ground zero because we do have some guys that are new," Canada said. "It’s kind of a chance to re-teach. You always try to look at the positives. It’s an opportunity for us to start at ground zero and build our offense around the players we have."
With a young offense -- fourth-year wide receiver Diontae Johnson and right tackle Chuks Okorafor are the senior members of the offense -- there is a lot of newness.
The Steelers also didn't do a full install of Canada's offense a year ago with Roethlisberger at quarterback. It was more of a mesh between what Canada wanted and what Roethlisberger was capable of doing.
It didn't always lead to pretty results.
"Last year, we worked really hard and Ben and I had a good relationship. We kept the passing game, not because it was mandated or anything, but because he played for 18 years," Canada said. "There are things Ben could do that nobody else on the planet could do. We did those things he did well and did our best to win as many games as we could. That’s what you should do any time. Whoever your players are, you should focus around your players.
"It is different in that we are now evolved and we’re calling things a little bit differently that we we might have kept because he had 18 years experience. A lot of the plays are exactly the same, but we’re all excited."
One thing Trubisky has impressed the coaching staff with is his ability off play-action, something that was largely non-existent with Roethlisberger.
Roethlisberger had a 78.0 passer rating on play-action passes last season and was 77.3 in his career. Trubisky in his career has a 97.0 rating on play-action passes.
Canada wants to use quarterback movement and play-action as part of his offense. And Trubisky, apparently, is very good at it because of his above-average athleticism and feel for that particular part of the game.
"He really has a great feel. He does an excellent job, particularly at the top of his drop," quarterbacks coach Mike Sullivan said of Trubisky's play-action talents. "It’s really a valuable tool, honestly, to be able to show the other guys. Not to embarrass Mitch or put him on the spot, but it’s a good picture to show the other guys. The timing is so critical. The ball has got to come out."
That was something that was attractive about Trubisky to the Steelers. And it could be something that allows him to not only have the No. 1 spot atop the depth chart now, but at the end of training camp, as well.
"I just really enjoy Mitch as a guy. He’s got a real good moxie," Canada said. "He’s fun to be around. I think he’s done a great job of getting to know the players and putting his own leadership style out there.
"All three of the guys have done that. Mason has been here and has a lot of familiarity with the guys that have been here. Kenny’s come in -- all three of the guys are different players, but they’re different people, different-type of leaders. That’s been enjoyable to watch. Mitch has done a real job and I’ve really enjoyed him to this point."
