The Pittsburgh Steelers had quite a bit of quarterback interest during the offseason. From the top names in the class to a lot of the mid-round options, the team made sure to leave no stone unturned.
It ended up being a memorable quarterback group for all of the wrong reasons.
Long touted as a top quarterback and potential first overall pick, Shedeur Sanders had one of the most memorable draft collapses in history. Cam Ward usurped him as the top pick, which wasn’t a surprise. Falling out of the first round wasn’t even unthinkable by the time the draft started.
However, falling to the fifth round with numerous quarterbacks taken ahead of him seemed unthinkable. He landed with the division rival Browns, and he had the chance to show some of the talent that made him such a hyped draft prospect.
Sanders fell apart in Week 11, though, and while he will have a chance to redeem himself, the Steelers should feel great about passing on him.
The Pittsburgh Steelers dodged a bullet with Shedeur Sanders
To be fair, the Steelers quarterback situation isn’t ideal. Aaron Rodgers has a limited amount of plays left in him, and he is cracking as the season progresses. Mason Rudolph is a good backup who, in my opinion, could start for the team for a season as you transition to a young starter.
You also have fellow rookie Will Howard as the third quarterback. He felt like a great value in the sixth round, but he didn’t have the same potential as Sanders. He feels like the far better fit, though, for the Steelers.
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Sanders was an instant media magnet after the draft. While that was to be expected given his draft fall and last name, I don’t think he has handled the media well at all. From snide remarks to childish answers, he has an overall sense of entitlement at such a young age.
He had the chance to prove that passing on him was a mistake. Instead, he flamed out.
Sanders showed the same pocket issues he had in college against the Ravens. He completed just 25 percent of his passes for 47 yards and an interception. The former Colorado QB helped blow a lead to the Ravens, who ultimately came back to win that game.
I get that he attempted some more vertical passes, a refreshing element to his game missing in fellow rookie Dillon Gabriel, but he was so sporadic back there it didn’t matter. Simply put, the moment looked too big for him.
While he should settle down if given the actual opportunity to start, he didn’t look like a potential top quarterback. Heck, I’m not sure you could trust him as a backup right now.
Time will tell what Howard will become, but I’m far more confident with him on my roster, even as just a backup, after what Sanders showed on Sunday.