PITTSBURGH — Coaches like to remind everyone not to read too much into which players are practicing with which units or what rotations are being used this time of year. After all, it is just spring practice, with no pads, no contact and, if all is to be believed, no final evaluations.
The same is true at quarterback, which, for the first time in 18 years, has no established starter. There is much to judge and consider to determine which of the three candidates — Mitch Trubisky, Mason Rudolph or rookie No. 1 Kenny Pickett — will open the regular season as Ben Roethlisberger's replacement.
But after two weeks of offseason training activities (OTAs) and three days of a mandatory minicamp that ends Thursday, all signs appear to point to Trubisky being the starter when the Steelers open their season Sept. 11 in Cincinnati.
Granted, much can change before then. However, with no more practices or meetings scheduled before they report to St. Vincent College on July 26, the Steelers will go to training camp with the likely idea Trubisky, their top free-agent acquisition, will be their starter.
"I'm preparing to be a starter," Trubisky said. "I feel like, no matter what position you're in, that's the way you should prepare. I wouldn't read too much into it, but I'm getting a lot of good reps. I feel really comfortable in the offense. I feel very confident."
Trubisky, after all, is the most experienced of the three quarterback candidates. He started 50 games for the Chicago Bears after being the No. 2 overall draft choice in 2017, helping to lead them to two playoff appearances.
But, unlike Rudolph, who is already versed in Matt Canada's offense, Trubisky has spent the past three weeks getting acclimated to the playbook and his new teammates. He has not missed a day of OTAs and minicamp and has spent a lot of time trying to display leadership qualities — something he did with the Bears and even last season as a backup with the Buffalo Bills.
Trubisky even had dinner at Roethlisberger's house, getting to know him and what might be expected of being the Steelers' starting quarterback.
"I feel it's important to be myself," Trubisky said. "If I just come in here and be me and be a leader for this offense and be a guy that other guys can come to and talk to and learn from and go out on the field and work hard with, then I'll earn that respect and trust. That's all I'm trying to do."
One of the reasons the Steelers were attracted to Trubisky in free agency is his mobility — a quality often expressed as desirable by coach Mike Tomlin and even team president Art Rooney II. It would not be a stretch to call Trubisky one of the fastest quarterbacks in the NFL.
But there has been no need for Trubisky to display that the past three weeks. That will come when defensive linemen start to chase him for real, not now. The Steelers are more concerned about getting him rooted in their passing game and the mechanics of the offense.
So is Trubisky. He can show off his speed and mobility later.
"We have some great connections going with Chase (Claypool), Diontae (Johnson), Pat (Freiermuth), Najee (Harris) and the rest of guys," Trubisky said. "We have a talented group here. I like where we're at. I think we've gotten better every day."
Of course, the real evaluation of Trubisky will not come until the Steelers play a preseason game, when opposing defenses are trying to pressure him. That will jump to another level when the regular-season starts.
The next step won't come for six more weeks, when the Steelers return to Latrobe and report to training camp.
"We're getting closer to normal football," Trubisky said. "It's nice to get more 11-on-11 work. We're going to continue to build that chemistry on offense and progress. It's all been great so far. But it's still minicamp. It's not quite training camp. We're getting there."
