The Bills have turned to Mitchell Trubisky as Josh Allen‘s backup in two nonconsecutive seasons, reacquiring the former No. 2 overall pick after he spent two years in Pittsburgh. Trubisky’s second Buffalo stint is set for a second season, but his grip on the team’s backup gig may not be as firm as what it was in 2024.
Mike White‘s move up from the practice squad in January came with a year added to his contract, carrying into 2025. The former Jets Zach Wilson replacement will be set to vie for the Allen backup role against Trubisky, according to The Athletic’s Joe Buscaglia (subscription required).
A potential role reversal here would come in White’s second year with the organization, as the ex-Jets and Dolphins backup gained seasoning in Joe Brady‘s system by spending a full season in Buffalo. This is White’s first offseason in western New York, however.
The Bills added White to their practice squad shortly after the Dolphins jettisoned him last August. Although Miami had signed White to a two-year, $8MM deal, Skylar Thompson beat him out for the team’s QB2 post during training camp last year. The Dolphins grew to regret that Thompson decision and have since changed up again — by adding Wilson — this offseason.
Now 30, White raised his profile by posing an unexpected threat to Wilson in New York. As the Jets erred by not adding a bridge-level backup for the No. 2 overall pick in 2021, White showed himself to be more effective running Mike LaFleur‘s offense that year. The QB’s 405-yard passing performance in an upset win over the eventual AFC champion Bengals made him a popular presence in New York, and even though the ex-Cowboys draftee crashed back to earth in the weeks that followed, he eventually replaced Wilson as the BYU product fizzled by 2022. The Jets did not deem it a priority to have a veteran presence behind Aaron Rodgers in 2023, however, and White moved on.
Trubisky, 30, has been Allen’s backup in 2021 and ’24. He served as Kenny Pickett‘s bridge for the Steelers in 2023 and did not impress as an injury replacement in 2024. The Steelers, who had seen Mason Rudolph prove a better option late in the ’23 season, released Trubisky after having previously extended him. Trubisky entered the 2022 and ’23 seasons ahead of Rudolph on Pittsburgh’s depth chart, and after signing a two-year deal worth $5.25MM to return to Buffalo, the ex-Bears bust still likely will enter Bills training camp in front of White.
Though, it appears White is a bigger threat to Trubisky’s job now compared to 2024, per Buscaglia. A potential change would mostly need to emerge from practice work, as Trubisky only saw relevant game action in Week 18 last season. He went 15 of 21 for 101 yards and one touchdown in a loss to a Patriots team sitting Drake Maye last season.
Allen has not missed a start since his 2018 rookie season. While elbow and hand maladies have come up since, Allen has proven one of the NFL’s safest bets. Though, the superstar’s bruising style and high run-game usage rate does leave him vulnerable annually.
With Allen’s durability pointing to the Bills only carrying one active-roster backup, only one non-practice squad salary appears available for the two QB2 hopefuls. Both Trubisky or White could reach the practice squad without clearing waivers. This would be new territory for Trubisky, however, and the Bills would take a $1.75MM hit were they to cut the more seasoned QB. (No dead money would come from a White release.) That said, seeing if White can usurp the former top prospect will be a storyline to monitor in Buffalo this offseason.