The conversations about the Pittsburgh Steelers’ quarterback situation won’t stop until there is more clarity regarding what Head Coach Mike Tomlin wants to do at the position in 2024. A re-signing of Mason Rudolph will shut up the crowd talking about the possibility of big names such as Justin Fields and Russell Wilson coming to town. Until then, however, the murmurs will continue. No one is quite sure what the organization has planned for Kenny Pickett’s career, but it seems as if they are going to give him one final chance to prove himself with an offensive coordinator not named Matt Canada.
It has become a daily topic of conversation on both national and local media productions since the Super Bowl concluded. People are starving for any kind of juicy football content which has led to the Steelers being at the forefront of several discussions. Most notably, the prospect of either Fields or Wilson ending up in the Steel City.
This was no different on Wednesday morning when the panel on The Carton Show was discussing if Wilson could be a good fit in Pittsburgh. Former Super Bowl champion wide receiver, Victor Cruz made a bold statement as he encouraged the Steelers’ front office to do what they can to bring Wilson to the East Coast for the first time in his professional career.
“Russell Wilson wins the division next year if he goes to the Steelers next year,” Cruz said.
The hot take stunned the group of analysts, including former Steelers’ offensive lineman, Willie Colon. The group went over the other teams and quarterbacks in the division and Cruz didn’t back down from his opinion. He began to wave a Terrible Towel, and then Colon came in the end with a significant endorsement of Pickett no longer being the signal-caller.
“Bye bye, small hands,” Colon said emphatically.
Patience is running thin with Pickett, but the majority of people paying attention to the situation should understand why the organization is likely to give him a final chance. He played well in a small sample size of six quarters without Canada, and bringing in a big name to take his job all but secures the notion that his time as a starter in Pittsburgh is done.
After being selected by the Steelers 20th overall in the 2022 NFL Draft, Pickett has yet to truly impress. He has just 13 touchdowns with as many interceptions, and hasn’t gotten the chance to participate in a playoff game. In a quarterback-driven league, any team remaining stagnant at the position will feel the effects, which is why the 2024 offseason is so crucial for Pittsburgh.
The hire of Arthur Smith as the team’s new play-caller could certainly resurrect Pickett’s career if there is a heavy dosage of running the football mixed with play-action. Smith was able to get the very best out of Ryan Tannehill throughout the 2019 and 2020 seasons. The hope is that the Steelers can find a way to do the same with Pickett, while relying on Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren.
The idea of Wilson coming to town probably makes more sense for 2024 due to the likelihood of Wilson being owed millions by the Denver Broncos. He will be able to play on a team-friendly deal. Fields is much younger and has more upside, but might not be worth a second, or potentially first-round pick. Fans shouldn’t get excited for either, however. Pickett or Rudolph under center in Week 1 remains the most likely scenario.
Steelers Have More Than Just Quarterback Issues To Address
Successful teams in the new era of the NFL need a dominant signal-caller to win football games through January. Pittsburgh needs to figure out who the future is at the position, but the 2024 offseason will have more on the table than just that. Both sides of the ball on the lines, as well as cornerback, linebacker and wide receiver will need to be fine-tuned if the Steelers want to compete sooner rather than later.
Are you on board with giving up on Pickett as he plans to enter his first season without Canada?
