If Steelers whiff on 2022 first round pick, it will set franchise back for years

Former Pittsburgh Steelers defensive lineman "Mean" Joe Greene speaks during the first round of the 2019 NFL Draft on April 25, 2019 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
Former Pittsburgh Steelers defensive lineman "Mean" Joe Greene speaks during the first round of the 2019 NFL Draft on April 25, 2019 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)

If the Steelers whiff on the first-round pick of the 2022 NFL draft, it will set the franchise back for years to come

Make no mistake, the 2022 NFL Draft is of paramount importance for the Steelers for many reasons, not the least of which is this:  For the first time in eight-teen seasons, we are entering the draft without a franchise QB on the roster.

No disrespect intended toward any of the QBs currently on the roster, but since the prevailing wisdom of the draft pundits points to us taking a QB when our turn comes around, it would stand to reason that there may be some truth to those predictions.

All you need to do is enter ‘Steelers 2022 draft rumors’ or ‘Steelers 2022 NFL mock draft’ into any search engine and what you will see is this:  We are drafting a QB by either trading up or standing pat at pick number twenty.

I don’t think anyone outside of the Steelers organization knows what player we will draft either by trading up which I don’t think will happen or by standing pat at number twenty which I do think will be the case.

One thing is certain, regardless of what transpires on draft night:  If we ‘whiff’ on our first pick, particularly if we draft a QB, it will set the franchise back at least four years or more.  That would be a travesty of epic proportions.

The Steelers simply cannot afford to ‘miss’ on the first-round pick in the 2022 NFL draft

So, let’s play out this scenario:  We draft a QB with pick number twenty.  He sits for two years, then gets the starting nod in year three.  He plays well and develops into a franchise QB.  That would be the best-case scenario.

Let’s play out this scenario:  We draft a QB with pick number twenty.  He sits for two years, then gets the starting nod in year three.  He plays poorly and we decide to not pick up the fifth-year option.  We would now be in a situation where we would have to either sign a veteran or draft another QB and hope that he develops into a franchise QB.

Let’s look at the perceived quandary the Steelers are in another way.  If we stand pat at number twenty and draft the best player available, that might be the best course of action.  Here’s why: As long as we do not have to mortgage the future by trading up and possibly selecting a QB who may not pan out, standing pat and drafting the best player available may not be subject to scrutiny.

Obviously, there will be fans and draft pundits who will question whatever pick the Steelers make, but if that pick is not a QB, it might be perceived as an acceptable pick.  The reality is this:  During the Mike Tomlin and Kevin Colbert era, we have ‘hit’ and ‘missed’ on first-round picks.

You could argue that some of those first-round picks set the franchise back for a few years considering who the Steelers could have drafted instead of drafting the player we ultimately drafted, but one constant was Ben Roethlisberger.

Having an established franchise QB afforded us the ‘cushion’ we needed if we ‘missed’ on a first-round pick.  That ‘cushion’ no longer exists. I can’t emphasize enough the need for the Steelers to make the right choice in the first round because if we don’t, it will have a cascade effect that will trickle down drafts for years to come.

The Steelers should not reach for any player, but most importantly, we should not reach for a QB as that position is the most important position on any team.  If the Steelers reach for a QB because everyone believes we will draft a QB and that QB does not pan out, the franchise will be set back for years to come, mark my words.

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