3 brutal facts will make Steelers fans realize Kenny Pickett is not the answer
By Tommy Jaggi
We all want what's best for the Pittsburgh Steelers, but our strategies to get to the ultimate goal of winning a Super Bowl might look completely different. Some fans believe that it's simply about finding a way to get into the postseason each year, while others think that the Steelers need to have a stable foundation before they can even talk about Super Bowl aspirations.
Consider me in the group with the latter. Pittsburgh has some quality pieces in place, but it certainly looks like their quarterback could hold them back from becoming a contending team again. At this stage of his career, Kenny Pickett has been outproduced by most quarterbacks that he goes head-to-head with.
Never say never, but it certainly looks like Pickett isn't going to be the answer the Steelers need. Here are three brutally honest truths that are hard for fans to accept.
3. Kenny Pickett was not a true first-round prospect
Just because Pickett was taken in the first round of the NFL Draft doesn't mean that he was a first-round prospect. The 2022 draft class was pretty weak across the board, but it was also one of the worst quarterback classes we have seen in quite some time.
Leading up to the draft, there was no consensus on who the top quarterback was, as some believed that former Liberty QB Malik Willis was the best in the class. In fact, Willis wound up being 8 spots higher on the NFL consensus board from the NFL Mock Draft Database.
Less than two years later, Willis is barely hanging onto his job as a backup. It's also worth noting that Pickett hasn't come close to outproducing 2022 fifth-round pick Sam Howell, and his numbers are comparable to what we've seen from 2022 third-rounder, Desmond Ridder.
I had Pickett as the 48th overall player on my 2022 draft board. His average arm, one year of quality production, and age made him a second-round prospect through and through. He only went in the first round because of a lack of talent at the QB position in the 2022 NFL Draft.