The Steelers seem like they got their guy with Kenny Pickett, but that could go awry and these could be some options.
It is a unique time for the Steelers as they bring in a wave of fresh faces into the franchise. There is a new front office and General manager that will display their own visions onto the field. They also brought in many new players, including Kenny Pickett with their first-round pick.
There has been a lot of time that has passed since they used that high of a pick at the position, but they valued this quarterback. He will have to earn a starting spot on this team in 2022 and has to win that playing time his rookie season. Players that are chosen that high need to make an impact in year one, especially Pickett with his age starting to get on the older side for a rookie.
He will be given every opportunity to succeed for this franchise, but he could have a short leash. The success of this club and his part in that success or failure will be a big focus as the year goes on. A new regime is here in the front office and that could lead to a new focus at quarterback if he does not work out, like what happened to Josh Rosen in Arizona.
Mitch Trubisky could prove to be the answer at quarterback for the Steelers
Mitch Trubisky is the obvious one that was included on this list. He is the starting quarterback at the beginning of the pre-season process for the Steelers and he could hang onto that for a while. If he performs well and the club is winning, there is no reason to take the starting spot away from him.
It will be interesting to see how Pittsburgh views these two players at the position and how snaps will be distributed throughout training camp and pre-season games. There is time to finalize who will be the opening day starter, but Trubisky could end up being the long-term guy if he plays well enough. It could also mean that Pickett is not doing as well as many think he could.
C.J. Stroud could keep the Steelers new regime interested in the draft
C.J. Stroud is a name that some fans have heard a lot about if you watch college football. He is the starting signal-caller for the Ohio State Buckeyes, which the Steelers have quite the pipeline with. They have a connection with that program and have a trend of selecting players from that alma mater in the draft.
Kenny Pickett was just selected recently, but he could get the Josh Rosen treatment if he is not careful. He is older and needs to prove that he can be a difference-maker for this franchise in year one. This quarterback class of 2022 did not have much hype going into the event as many did not see them as franchise potential players.
For those that do not know, Rosen was taken high in the draft by the Arizona Cardinals a couple of years ago. He only lasted one season thereafter the team struggled and took Kyler Murray first overall soon after. He was traded and has been struggling to stay in the NFL ever since.
With Omar Khan entering in the GM chair, he could always want another young player entering the fold. That does not seem likely as the club rarely quits on players after only one season, but it could happen under different circumstances. If Pickett struggles and the team is in position to take a young player like Stroud, then it cannot be ruled out.
Jimmy Garoppolo could be brought in for some insurance
Jimmy Garoppolo is one of the veteran quarterbacks that got a lot of connection to Pittsburgh during the offseason. It makes some sense as he helped get the 49ers to the Super Bowl and stay in contention for many years. The issue with him is that that club mostly relied on the defense to help set up the success of the offense.
That would fit in with the Steelers as they have turned into that type of team recently. Getting this player would depend on a lot of things. Kenny Pickett would still have to be uncertain when it comes to starting and Mitch Trubisky would have to be out of the building, and this player would need to be fully healed from his shoulder injury. Those two things could lead to another veteran coming in to compete for a starting gig.
Enter in a veteran guy that has accomplished a lot in this league during big moments like Garoppolo and you might have something. He would be a free agent so his current cap hit would drop. That would be of interest to the black and gold if that situation did play out.
They will need different options, especially if Pickett cannot prove his worth during his rookie year. You find solid starters at quarterback through trial and error a lot of the time and this franchise might have to go through that. This guy might not be able to win you games by himself, but he will provide steady play to give a good defense the chance to win you games.
Bryce Young could be another draft option for the Steelers in 2023
The quarterback draft class in 2023 is billed as being much more talented than the one in 2022. Again, the interest in this position would seem to be at an all-time low at this point for the Steelers. It would take a lot of things to go wrong before the team concedes to looking for a new signal-caller.
Adding an older rookie like Kenny Pickett with a low ceiling should give the club a faster evaluation time on his adjustment to the league. He likely will not get much better from his start point and that will allow for the franchise to know where they need to go after the season. Running away from a player after one season, if he does have a bad season that is, seems harsh but could be a reality.
Now, all of this is conjecture as Pickett has not even taken a professional snap at this point in the NFL. The future for the black and gold is what the priority will be while evaluating after the season concludes and throughout. It will take for a lot of things to go wrong, but stranger things have happened where a team takes a quarterback in back-to-back first-round selections.
Bryce Young is an elite quarterback with all the athletic traits that every football club is looking for. He has the arm strength and mobility that matches up with the same qualities as a lot of the top quarterbacks in today’s NFL. He could get even better this year and that will probably cement him in the top ten when the draft rolls around.
Baker Mayfield could be brought in to start if Kenny Pickett isn’t showing enough
Baker Mayfield was another veteran quarterback that got some attention this offseason for the Steelers. The connection was puzzling as the team really did not need another quarterback at that time of the rumor swirling. That connection was there, and it makes sense under the right circumstances.
Again, Mitch Trubisky would need to be struggling and potentially off the team while Kenny Pickett would need some starting competition brought in again. Those two things happening are not very likely and who knows what Mayfield’s future in Cleveland looks like.
He is currently under contract with the Browns upon writing this article despite him being granted leave from minicamp. They seem to be trying their best to trade him since their acquisition of Deshaun Watson and signing him to a giant contract extension. Watson is currently having a lot of lawsuits filed against him, up to 24 now, and his future in the league should be in question.
Perhaps keeping Mayfield would be their best course of action as insurance, but the player would hate to do that. He is a tough competitor that needs a good supporting cast around him to succeed. He plays best when he has a strong rushing attack and that would fit with the Steelers, at least the direction they are going in.
The Steelers have a lot of football ahead of them before they make any decisions on Kenny Pickett. He needs to prove his worth of being a first-round pick and perform on the field to secure his future with the team.