While it seems likely that the Steelers will need a new quarterback in 2022, those wanting Pittsburgh’s Kenny Pickett may need to rethink things.
It was speculated recently that Ben Roethlisberger is likely done with the Steelers after this season, which means there will be a new quarterback in Pittsburgh soon. While the draft isn’t rich in quarterback talent, Kenny Pickett has ignited this class due to his solid play and legitimate Heisman talent. Those linking Pickett to the team have logic, as the superstar senior would be able to stay in the city that has made him a potential top prospect.
Pickett has enjoyed a legendary senior season at Pitt, as he has quickly become one of the hottest quarterback prospects in the league. That said, this team is far from ready to give their team over to a rookie. The offense and defense are filled with holes so adding a rookie at quarterback likely wouldn’t yield a lot of early success. On top of all of that, Pickett has an issue with completing passes deep.
While my film study of Pickett hasn’t been extensive yet (it has only covered about two and a half games), I haven’t come away with a good feeling about him. While he is a composed passer and has some sneaky athleticism, his style of play isn’t much different than what the team has now. Drafting him would signify that this offense is going to stay the same.
Steelers need a new style of QB
Pickett isn’t a deep-ball passer. When throwing past about twenty yards, his strength considerably decreases, and his accuracy becomes varied. It seems like his best-case for arm strength is about 50 yards. You saw him throw a pass about that long against Wake Forest when he had a clear pocket and was free to step into his throw. I can’t imagine him making passes that much farther than that.
As well, his deep accuracy is relatively bad. He underthrows a lot of passes and is usually a yard or two off when attempting passes deep down the field. He can throw all over the field at or below 20-yards, but he can’t push it deep. This is almost identical to how this passing offense is being run right now.
This isn’t to say that Pickett won’t be a good player. He looks like a field general when utilizing quick and short passes, but he isn’t going to push the ball down the field at all. He needs to go to an offense that wants to run a West Coast style of offense, as that is where his skill sets will be best suited. If the team wants to get back to their deep pass efficiency as they had in the prime years of Roethlisberger, Pickett shouldn’t be their quarterback.
While there is a lot to like about Pickett, his fit with the Steelers isn’t great. His arm strength is a real concern at this point, and for a team that has seen Roethlisberger struggle to push the ball deep, why would you want Pickett to be the quarterback going forward. The team has a wealth of deep threats that aren’t being utilized right now. Drafting Pickett maintains that status quo.
While Pickett may have a successful career in the NFL, he screams average quarterback that needs a dynamic team to win. Add in the arm strength questions and he isn’t worth a first-round pick for a team trying to get back to their old deep passing attack. Pickett is a good-looking prospect, but he isn’t what the Steelers need at this point.