Kenny Pickett looks like he won't be the franchise quarterback that the Steelers had hoped when they drafted him a couple of years ago. He has roughly a season and a half of work as the starter and there are no impressive performances on his resume. Another big issue that has become more common for the young quarterback is injuries.
Pickett has been injured plenty of times and a good number of them have been concussions, which could cut his career short if that trend continues. The Steelers need to focus on the betterment of their team and find ways to get better. They need to find a quality quarterback this offseason to at least push Pickett for his starting job. Ideally, Pittsburgh would find an upgrade to start over him.
Justin Herbert will not be traded to the Steelers this offseason
Some have thrown out the idea that Justin Herbert could be available via trade this offseason. That would be a crazy decision by the Chargers, especially if they do decide to let their Head coach leave. It seems like Herbert would be the biggest draw to that opening, even though the rest of the team has been struggling since the Herbert era began.
If Herbert becomes available, the Steelers would be foolish to not call and check what the asking price was at the least. One would have to predict that LA would want a king's ransom that involved multiple first-round picks and a player or two going back the other way. It would be a costly trade, but it would land you a proven franchise quarterback.
Another thing that would get in the way of this trade would be the cap ramifications. The Steelers could probably swing a deal, but they would need to open some spending cash beforehand. Again, this trade seems like it won't happen. The Chargers need to build around someone like Herbert and bring in a coach who knows how to accomplish that task.
Kyler Murray is another Kenny Pickett replacement that probably won't happen
Another potential name that could be available this offseason might be Kyler Murray of the Arizona Cardinals. He has missed most of the season due to injury, but he seems to be starting to come back to form after a couple of weeks of playing catch-up. The Steelers witnessed him and all the abilities that he possesses when Murray beat them a couple of weeks back.
He still has it, but the issue following Murray is his lack of consistency. Some have also questioned his dedication to his craft. That could be a big concern for his career moving forward. One thing is for sure, the rest of this season will play a big role in what happens with Murray going forward. He has a ton of talent, but he needs to show that he can have that each week.
Maybe the loss to the Cardinals could have a silver lining if Murray would either be traded or cut from Arizona this offseason and joined the Steelers. He is an explosive player with both his legs and his arm. He has a lot of talent to work with, and would at least jump this stale offense in Pittsburgh to new possibilities. That's if he is available.
He may remain in the desert, especially if he plays well during the final games of the schedule ahead. The Steelers might not want to pay his astronomical price tag since he got extended by the Cardinals. Both of those things could be a big reason why this scenario could fall apart. Arizona will likely look to see if they can move Murray, but it will be hard for them to find a deal.
Kirk Cousins price tag might be too rich for Pittsburgh to handle
No better quarterback will be available in free agency this offseason other than Kirk Cousins. Unless some big name is a shocking cap casualty, it seems like Cousins will be the top dog of the free agency class in 2024, unless he re-signs before the negotiation period starts. It seems like he and Minnesota will have interest in a contract extension, but it's unknown if that will get to the finish line.
One thing about Cousins is that he finds ways to stay in games and his leadership qualities could help many locker rooms around the NFL. The Steelers could surely use some of that going forward, especially at the quarterback position. Another positive of signing Cousins would be the mentorship ability he could provide someone like Pickett.
The bad news with someone like Cousins is his age. He will be 36 years old by the time next season rolls around and he is coming off a season-ending Achilles tear. He should be ready by the start of the regular season, but shelling out lots of cash coming off that injury could be an issue. It doesn't seem likely for Cousins to land in Pittsburgh this offseason.
Again, the reasons listed above are prime reasons why the Steelers probably won't go after him in free agency. He would be a good fit overall if he was willing to sign like a one or two-year deal as a bridge starter that can give you a season or two of playoff chances. It all comes down to the money crunch and the black and gold don't seem to have a lot of spending cash this year.
Baker Mayfield might be the best quarterback option in free agency
Enter in another free agent option here for the Steelers this offseason. Baker Mayfield is the starting quarterback for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers right now, and there is a possibility that he will re-sign there. He has played some solid football in Tampa since jumping over there on a one-year contract that he signed this past offseason.
Mayfield is rivaling some of the best seasons that he has put up in his professional career to date. He still has another four weeks of competition upon writing this article to potentially put up his best statistical year yet. You'd have to imagine that if Mayfield can lead a poor Bucs team into the playoffs by winning the terrible NFC South division, then they would consider bringing him back.
The parody of the Steelers adding Mayfield this offseason would be something to behold. He has beaten the Steelers in the past when he played for Cleveland. Maybe the draw to return to the AFC North and go against his former team twice a season would hold some merit to him. It would be an interesting pair to bring together for next year.
During the preseason, Mayfield had to earn the starting job, and it would be the same scenario in Pittsburgh as he went up against Pickett. Mayfield would be a good option for the Steelers, but he would need to come on a short-term deal that doesn't account for a huge cap hit. He would be a nice safe option in free agency at quarterback, but the Steelers won't want to spend too much.
Justin Fields trade rumors to the Steelers has started to heat up
In recent weeks there have been some rumblings by fans for the Steelers to go out and get Justin Fields this offseason. He is currently under contract with the Bears for a couple more years before his fifth-year option has to be decided upon. The former 11th overall pick of the 2021 NFL Draft has not been able to live up to the hype since entering the league.
Some issues with Fields involve inconsistency and the injury bug. In his two-and-a-half seasons in the NFL, Fields has yet to play a full 18-game season due to either injuries or others starting. A lot of scrutiny has fallen on the shoulder of Fields, especially this season. Fans of the Bears want to see more, and they have started to see that over the past several weeks.
Fans of the Steelers seem to believe that with a more stable organization and weapons around him, Fields could succeed in Pittsburgh. He has the size, running ability, and strong arm that every NFL scout looks for in a franchise guy. He would be a nice fit in an offense that seems to be missing a play caller and a quarterback.
The biggest question here will be, how much would it take to acquire someone like Fields via trade? If the Bears are ready to move on and draft a quarterback high in the draft process, then one would have to assume not too many assets. If Mike Tomlin and Omar Khan feel highly that Fields is the answer to upgrade over Pickett and lead this team to victory, then you'd do a lot to trade for him.
Jayden Daniels could be a perfect solution to battle Kenny Pickett
Realistically, the most likely option to supplant Kenny Pickett as the starter would be a rookie. The Steelers are trying their best to keep a fictional window of winning alive, but it always seems like they are trying their best to fit in with the cool kids only to be lame outcasts. The only way to keep that "winning" window alive is to find cheap offensive alternatives.
That is where the draft comes into play and trying to find a solution at quarterback. A lot of things will have to be figured out over the next four months and some change before the Steelers can hand in their draft pick on night one of the event. Their draft choice is far from being set in stone and Pittsburgh could either have a late-round choice or something closer to the beginning of the round.
That could ultimately determine how they evaluate their quarterback spot and the options of replacing Pickett as the starter through the draft. Khan could always make a deal to move up if they don't finish with a high enough pick to get someone like Jayden Daniels. He just won the Heisman trophy and could be an electric player at the next level.
On paper, he seems like a more well-rounded version of Lamar Jackson coming out of college. Daniels has an incredible arm and explosive abilities with his feet. One of his best traits is his ability to remain focused on throwing the ball rather than relying on the run as Jackson does. Daniels could be the answer at quarterback for the Steelers in the draft.
Keep an eye on Pittsburgh and how they evaluate Michael Penix Jr.
Many have stated that this will be one of the most talented crop of quarterbacks coming out of the draft in some time. It's headlined by Caleb Williams, Drake Maye, and Jayden Daniels. There are some interesting names in the second tier like Box Nix and Michael Penix Jr. that could shoot up draft boards the closer the event gets.
Nix has a lot of similarities to Kenny Pickett when he was coming out of the draft in 2022. That could scare the Steelers off based on that, but Penix is someone who brings some different aspects to the position. His ability to maneuver the pocket is one of his best skills. He would be able to help the Steeler's offensive issues rather than run into pressure like Pickett has shown during his career.
Penix also has great accuracy throwing the football, especially deep down the field. He is not afraid to throw the ball down the field and across the middle. One of his biggest concerns will be the injuries that he suffered early in his college career. That forced him into an odd situation and stuck in college football to grow his resume.
No one threw for more yards this season than Penix and he has been able to become good enough to handle offensive coordinator turnover, which often happens in Pittsburgh. He was a runner-up for the Heisman trophy this season. Not many quarterbacks in this class can rival the type of passing numbers that Penix has been able to produce.