The Buffalo Bills made a big pitch to land Mitch Trubisky as their backup quarterback in 2021, selling him on the possibility of developing behind Josh Allen before trying to find another starting NFL job.
Now, after grabbing and then losing a starting job with the Pittsburgh Steelers before returning to the Bills last season, Trubisky could be coming to the end of his time in Buffalo. One insider predicted that the Bills will opt for a more cost-efficient option to back up Allen for the coming season.
Bills Predicted to Tap Former Rival as No. 2 Quarterback
Insider Sal Maiorana of the Democrat & Chronicle gave an early prediction at the team’s final 53-man roster, noting that the Bills will have a tight competition for the backup quarterback spot. The Bills brought in former New York Jets and Miami Dolphins veteran Mike White last season to provide more depth, and Maiorana predicted the Bills would ultimately pick the cheaper White as their backup.
“There could be an interesting decision between Trubisky and White,” Maiorana wrote. “If White has a good camp, the Bills could save around $1.5 million on the cap with him as opposed to Trubisky, and Buechele can stick as the practice squad QB.”
While Trubisky was the No. 2 overall pick and had extensive experience starting with the Chicago Bears and Steelers, White has plenty of experience of his own. He had seven career starts between the Jets and Dolphins, completing 61.4% of his passes for 2,247 yards with nine touchdowns and 13 interceptions over his career. He saw some playing time in last year’s season finale as Allen went to the bench, going 3-for-11 for 28 yards.
Tough Training Camp Competition
Other insiders believe there will be a tight competition in training camp. The Athleticâs Joe Buscaglia predicted the Bills would pit the two veterans against each other but ultimately stick with Trubisky due to the similarities between his game and Allen.
âTrubisky and White will likely go head-to-head this summer, but for now, Trubisky gets the leg up due to his partially guaranteed salary and the fact that he has more of a mobile element to his game than White,â Buscaglia wrote. âHaving a rushing element mirrors Allenâs game a bit more, and that could really help Trubisky win the job. However, make no mistake, this competition appears wide open.â
Trubisky could have some other advantages in the fight for the backup job, including his relationship with Allen. The two are close off the field, often spending time together in the offseason. Allen has been an important factor in roster decisions in the past, pushing the team to sign his friend and mentor, Matt Barkley.
The Bills have generally kept two quarterbacks on their roster with a third on the practice squad. With the team making some heavy investments in other positions, including wide receiver, it could be unlikely for them to break the trend and keep three quarterbacks. The team could return to last season’s pecking order, with Trubisky as the rostered backup and White on the practice squad.
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