Desperate Steelers Sign Former Patriots QB Ahead of Thursday Night Football Meeting
The New England Patriots' 6-0 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday was nothing short of embarrassing. There isn't much time to dwell on the umpteenth uninspiring loss, though, as the Patriots have a short turnaround before facing the Pittsburgh Steelers on Thursday Night Football.
While the Patriots are set for another uphill battle in Week 14, there is a bit of a silver lining. Steelers quarterback Kenny Pickett underwent ankle surgery on Monday and will miss the next few weeks of action as he recovers.
With Pickett being sidelined for the next little while, the Steelers have gone out and added a former Patriots QB to help with their depth under center.
Former Patriots QB Trace McSorley Signed by Steelers
NFL insider Adam Schefter reports that Pittsburgh has signed ex-New England signal-caller Trace McSorley to the practice squad.
With Kenny Pickett undergoing ankle surgery this morning, the Steelers are signing free-agent QB Trace McSorley to their practice squad, per source.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) December 4, 2023
McSorley's Patriots tenure was a short one. The former 2019 sixth-rounder signed a one-year deal with the Pats back in April but was released in August after only attempting four preseason passes. He wound up joining the Chicago Bears practice squad just over a month later but was then released on Nov. 21.
Having said that, the Steelers already have Mitchell Trubisky and Mason Rudolph on the roster, so chances are that McSorley will be used in an emergency role. After all, practice squad players can only be elevated three times per season, so using him as the emergency QB gives Pittsburgh more flexibility.
Trubisky has already made three appearances this season, making him the Steelers' likely starter on Thursday. The good news is that the veteran QB lost both of his previous meetings against the Patriots, completing only 56.6% of passing attempts for 501 yards with three touchdowns, three interceptions, and a 71.4 passer rating.
Time will tell how much the Steelers' QB situation helps the Patriots on their question for an upset. New England's offense might be struggling, but the defense has played well as of late, allowing an 8.7 PPG clip in the last three games.
As it stands, the Patriots are currently projected to lose to the Steelers by about a touchdown.
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