It might be a little too early to panic about Kenny Pickett yet, but there are concerns that are becoming too consistent. His great play in the preseason has gone completely opposite since the regular season kicked off. Blaming Matt Canada is fine, but Pickett deserves a lot of the blame as to why this offense is terrible right now.
He is 25 years old and has seemed to be reaching the peak of his abilities as an NFL quarterback. He deserves to be the starter this season, but the black and gold should not hesitate to look for upgrades if his season continues down this path. Pickett is only a part of the problem, but he has been a huge issue that has led to nothing but shortcomings thus far.
Drake Maye could be a young quarterback prospect that might have elite potential
The projected top two quarterbacks in the upcoming 2024 NFL Draft seem like they could have elite potential. The Steelers would need a top-five pick, or higher to get close enough to have a viable selection to draft one of the top two quarterbacks in this upcoming class. That is if they decide to leave college and turn pro.
One of those players is none other than Drake Maye out of North Carolina. He burst onto the scene last season and put up eye-popping numbers. There is a lot of hype surrounding his name entering this year and plenty of scouts are watching him closely. He has been relatively efficient to start the year, but he needs to stop turning over the ball as much.
Baker Mayfield could join the Steelers if his impressive start to the season continues
It would certainly be an interesting development to see someone like Baker Mayfield join the Steelers. He is currently with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers after they signed him to a one-year contract to compete for their starting job, which he won. He has done a nice job throughout the preseason and so far during the regular season with being smart with the football.
Thus far, he has no interceptions on the season and has been very accurate when it is time for him to throw the ball. Many believed that his NFL career might be coming to a close after being traded to Carolina only for him to do little to nothing there. His time in Tampa Bay seems to be doing his career some good as his stock is on the rise.
Mayfield is the former number one pick by the Cleveland Browns in the 2018 NFL Draft. He was not able to find much success in Cleveland other than beating the Steelers a couple of years ago in the playoffs. That was his highest career achievement to date, but there could be some more on the horizon for him this season.
If he can keep on his current path throughout this year, then he will have a big opportunity to cash in after this season. It would make sense for the Bucs to talk extension with him, but the Steelers would be ridiculous if they did not check into the situation. Mayfield knows the division, and the opportunity to beat the Browns twice a year would surely be alluring.
Perhaps Jared Goff could become available if the Lions find an upgrade
One team with high expectations entering the season has been the Detroit Lions. They started off the season with a bang against the Kansas City Chiefs. They have a strong team, but injuries are already starting to become a factor for them. Quarterback play has not been their weak spot as Jared Goff has been able to find a new lease on life in the Motor City.
The LA Rams were desperate to make a trade for Mathew Stafford and Goff was just a cap dump at the time. Detroit has been able to turn that trade capital into a team with a contentious appetite and Goff is helping the Lions achieve many things. This season will be huge for him and Detroit regarding their futures and how the team is assembled.
Goff has been able to prove himself as a sustainable starter in the NFL again that can accomplish things with quality players around him. The Steelers have a solid roster right now and need a quarterback who can play smart football. He is not going to wow many with his play style, but he is a smart and capable player that could be an upgrade over what Pickett is currently offering.
All of this is just conjecture right now as no one knows if Goff would even become available. Many things will need to happen, for example, a disappointing outcome to the Lions season with Goff still producing quality numbers. Another thought could be the Lions feeling the need to try and find an upgrade to get from playoff contenders to Super Bowl aspirations.
All signs are pointing to Kyler Murray becoming available after the season
What is going on in the desert for the NFL? The Arizona Cardinals look to be tanking for Caleb Williams for the upcoming 2024 NFL Draft. Kyler Murray is working on getting healthy from an injury that has left him sidelined to start the year. It is unknown when he will be back in the lineup. That has left Josh Dobbs as the starter for now.
On top of that news, they have also traded away a few quality starters to other clubs before the regular season kicked off. Now the Cardinals are in a heap of trouble and have a rookie Head coach that might be one and done. Things are ugly in the desert right now and it seems like it could get worse if they go in a different direction at quarterback.
The writing is on the wall with Williams being the prime candidate, which could be an option for the Steelers if they fall apart. That would leave Murray as a trade candidate or someone who could be released from his expensive deal if no takers show up. Pittsburgh would welcome Murray as a starter if he was willing to settle on a reasonable price.
The Steelers need someone that is molded like the current NFL quarterback. Someone who has speed and can use their feet when needed. Murray also has a good arm that allows him to make plays in the passing game. Pickett has some of those qualities, but he is not as athletically gifted as Murray. He could be an interesting option to become available at the end of the year.
Caleb Williams would require a top pick but he would be an electric player
Caleb Williams is projected to be the top prospect coming out of college following this season. He is an explosive player who has a lot of abilities that should trend over to the NFL well. The biggest issue for any team potentially needing a quarterback like the Steelers is their draft positioning. They don't have a terrible roster and that could keep them out of the sweepstakes.
As mentioned in the part earlier, other teams like the Cardinals are starting to move pieces to get someone like Williams. He has been rumored to consider skipping the draft this year if the top club that wants him is not seen as a good fit. The Steelers would surely be a good option with a probably new offensive coordinator brought in.
Williams is explosive with the ball in his hands and can do it all. Pittsburgh has a quality team already and they would only improve with someone like Williams around him. Getting to a spot where you could draft someone with his talents would lead to an ugly season ahead for the Steel City. Everyone would hate that but landing Williams would be worth it.
This might be the most unrealistic option on the board as Mike Tomlin will never push for losing, which is an admirable trait. He deserves positive recognition for the way he plays to win each week in the NFL. Some other clubs like the Cardinals seemed to have already thrown the towel in for this season before week one even started.
Kirk Cousins has been rumored to the Steelers for a long time and could be a mentor
Many years ago, when Ben Roethlisberger retirement rumors began to surface over his twilight years, the conjecture about potential replacements came to light. One of those names was Kirk Cousins to come in and take Roethlisberger's job as he got older. That situation never materialized even though there was some steam behind that rumor.
Cousins would sign with the Vikings and be a solid starter for them since, but the biggest issue for them has always persisted. Minnesota has yet to win anything of significance in a weaker NFC now than when he initially joined the Vikings. He is now an older player in the league, but he has been consistent and able to produce quality numbers.
If Pickett is not the answer right now, will he ever be? He is already 25 years old and will be 26 by the time training camp rolls around next year. Pittsburgh has a roster that should be able to compete for playoff runs, but they might not even be able to make the post season at their current rate. Adding someone like Cousins might be a good move.
He is a free agent after this year, and it seems like Minnesota might be moving on from the aging quarterback. Cousins has been playing lights out this year thus far and the team might be trying to lose now. The Vikings could make Cousins available via trade if their current losing ways continue and they wish to get in positioning for a quarterback around the draft.
Dak Prescott could be on his way out of Dallas if they cannot make a deep playoff run
Perhaps one of the most polarizing players in recent history of the NFL has been Dak Prescott. He has been a good starting quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys ever since he was drafted in 2016. Prescott is very much like Cousins as he does have some ups and downs but has been a good regular season performer overall. His warts show when the post season begins.
He has not been able to help the Cowboys ever get to a Super Bowl, let alone win one. He is a big-name player that could be an interesting name that could become available this offseason if Dallas comes up short again. Right now, everything is right with the world in Dallas as the team dominates their competition each week.
That could be false hope as they have played some of the easiest competition to start their schedule. Prescott has been the quarterback for a long time and rumors have surrounded the club with the possibility of moving on from him in the past. This year and potential playoff outcome might be the determining factor here.
The Steelers could use someone like him who is still in his prime and can be seen as a big running back when he uses his feet. Prescott would be an upgrade over the current play of Pickett and the Steelers need someone that can get them back into the playoffs. Prescott will get you there and might be able to help Pittsburgh get on a run.