Steelers news: Analysts prefer Will Levis to Kenny Pickett, Lamar Jackson drama, and more
By Tommy Jaggi
The Pittsburgh Steelers front office will have plenty on their minds in the coming days as Omar Khan and his team prepare themselves for the free agency frenzy. Around the NFL, things have already been busy enough since the NFL Combine, as Daniel Jones received a controversially large contract extension and the Lamar Jackson drama continues.
The Steelers have somehow eluded any big news so far this offseason, though they did kick off their pre-draft visits with Ohio State OT Dawand Jones scheduled to come to the facility. Here's the latest Steelers news.
Steelers news:
On the With the First Pick Podcast from CBS Sports, NFL analyst Ryan Wilson asks Rick Spielman and Brady Quinn about which quarterback they prefer: Kenny Pickett or Will Levis. Without much hesitation, both analysts said they would take Levis over Pickett if given the chance.
I posed this hypothetical to @spielman_rick and @Brady_Quinn on the latest With the First Pick pod (@NFLDraftCBS): Knowing everything we currently know about all these players, if you're the 2023 Steelers would you rather have Will Levis or Kenny Pickett? FYI: @PriscoCBS pic.twitter.com/ZsctwOrjEo
— ryan wilson (@ryanwilsonCBS) March 9, 2023
Both Spielman and Quinn cited Levis's superior 'upside' as the reason why -- noting his stronger arm and comparable athletic traits. This topic is sure to raise some debate among Pittsburgh Steelers fans.
While Levis does have outstanding arm talent, he's coming off an unspectacular statistical season at Kentucky and his lack of pinpoint accuracy continued into the NFL Combine. Regardless, Levis is projected to be an early-to-mid first-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft.
More Steelers news:
Recently, Trevor Sikkema of Pro Football Focus wrote an article naming the best team fits for each of his top 32 prospects for the NFL Draft. Sikkema believes that two players would be remarkable fits on the Steelers: Penn State CB Joey Porter Jr. and Clemson DT Bryan Bresee.
Both of these players have been connected to Pittsburgh often early in the pre-draft process and it's not hard to see why. Porter has the family lineage and fills a major position of need, while Bresee is a big, athletic interior defender in the mold of Cameron Heyward who could eventually take over down the line.
NFL news
Lamar Jackson will continue to be one of the hottest offseason topics in the NFL. The Baltimore Ravens slapped the non-exclusive franchise tag on the former NFL MVP, but Lamar has made it clear that he wants the long-term contract and guaranteed money similar to what the Browns were willing to hand out for Deshaun Watson last offseason.
An early report suggests that there are as many as five teams who are already out on the idea of poaching Jackson from the Ravens at the price of two first-round picks (plus a lofty new contract extension he would require). It's unclear at this time where Jackson will be playing football in
Next. Steelers biggest draft crushes after the NFL Combine. dark