Over the last few weeks, there has been a ton of speculation about the Pittsburgh Steelers and their quarterback situation. Are they going to commit to Kenny Pickett as the starter for another season, or would they head in a different direction?
Several reports indicated a change could be on the horizon. Pittsburgh was connected to several quarterbacks, including a trade for Justin Fields or signing Kirk Cousins, Russell Wilson, or Baker Mayfield.
A first-round pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, many analysts believe it would behoove the Steelers to move on from Pickett this offseason. He hasn’t shown much in the way of being a franchise quarterback in his first two seasons in the NFL, and he was effectively benched down the stretch of the 2023 season.
With their season on the line, head coach Mike Tomlin turned to Mason Rudolph to take over for Mitchell Trubisky as the starter with Pickett sidelined because of injury. Even when Pickett was healthy enough to play, Rudolph remained in the lineup as the starter, closing out the regular season on a three-game winning streak and helping the team into the postseason.
With Trubisky already released and Rudolph a free agent, a change could be coming under center. But, don’t expect it to be a major one, as all signs are pointing to the Steelers remaining committed to Pickett in 2024.
As shared by Josh Carney of Steelers Depot, the team isn’t currently interested in signing Wilson. Their trade pursuit of Fields seems to have been overblown as well, as they aren’t actively working on a deal.
Things could change between now and the 2024 NFL Draft, as anything can happen in free agency. But, for now, it sounds as if the plan will be to build around Pickett, not bring in competition to battle it out for the starting job.
