Kenny Pickett is laughably low in updated 2023 NFL quarterback rankings

It's hard to get too upset regarding player rankings ahead of the 2023 season. We haven't even seen a snap of regular-season action yet, and performances will soon dictate where players fall in line among their peers. However, as the season nears, Pittsburgh Steelers fans are dying to know where second-year quarterback, Kenny Pickett, will rank among NFL signal-callers this year.

Prior to the season kicking off, NFL media outlets have been busy giving their bold predictions and power rankings ahead of the 2023 season. In addition, player rankings are being released, and the opinions out there are sure to raise controversy.

Recently, Steven Ruiz of The Ringer released his 2023 quarterback rankings just ahead of the season -- each equipped with a nice little graphic subjectively placing a grade on every quarterback's timing, accuracy, arm talent, pocket presence, decision, making, and creativity.

Unfortunately, Kenny Pickett was ranked 26th among QBs with a composite grade of just 75.2. Ruiz writes in the headline for Pickett, "What if Josh Allen had just OK tools?"

I guess that's not a terrible example when it comes to Pickett's play style. Pickett is often best when on the move and extending the play. But while Ruiz admits that his best trait is creativity, his 80 score in this department still pales in comparison to players like Justin Field (97 creativity score) or Daniel Jones (91 creativity score).

Pickett's 26th spot in the QB rankings has him below players like Jimmy Garoppolo, Mac Jones, Jordan Love, and Justin Fields. His overall QB grade of 75.2 is notably worse than players like Ryan Tannehill (81.7), Derek Carr (81.8), Russell Wilson (82.1), and Kyler Murray (86.5). Unsurprisingly, Patrick Mahomes is the highest-graded quarterback by The Ringer with a grade of 97.1.

Steelers fans need to be patient with Kenny Pickett

Pittsburgh Steelers fans do not need to be upset with where The Ringer ranked Kenny Pickett; rather, they just need to be patient. If Pickett is going to be 'the guy' for this team, it's probably not going to happen all at once anyway.

We have to remember that Pickett has less than one full year of NFL game experience under his belt, and this no doubt was factored in when comprising these rankings. It's also worth noting that Pickett certainly wasn't the most impressive QB from an analytics standpoint. He finished 23rd among quarterbacks in EPA per play and 22nd in success rate, as the article from The Ringer notes.

Still, fans have seen plenty of reasons to be optimistic about Pickett and what he could offer this team. While he may not take the world by storm when it comes to statistical production, he certainly seems poised for a breakout season in 2023.

Just because Kenny Pickett is currently 26th in the NFL quarterback rankings doesn't mean he will stay there. The Pittsburgh Steelers QB has had an incredible summer that could carry over into the regular season. Even The Ringer notes that Pickett's 'got that dog in him,' and I think fans would agree.