Now that the Pittsburgh Steelers are deep into the season, it’s time to take stock of where the team stands. Specifically, where Steelers players stand individually based on what we have seen and are seeing over the course of the regular season as it plays out. A stock evaluation can take a couple of different approaches and I’ll try to make clear my reasoning for each one. In some cases, it will be based on more long-term trends. In other instances, it will be a direct response to something that just happened. Because of this, we can and will see a player more than once over the course of the season as we move forward.
Player: QB Kenny Pickett
Stock Value: Up
Reasoning: The rookie quarterback was at least far along enough in the concussion protocol to be permitted to participate in yesterday’s practice on a limited basis. Barring further information we will learn today, that is a good sign that he has a real chance to play on Sunday.
Make no mistake, the fact that quarterback Kenny Pickett was able to be out on the practice field on Wednesday was huge. That doesn’t guarantee that he’s going to be able to play on Sunday, but it’s a strong indicator that things are trending in that direction.
That is barring further information, at least, and we should find out today. If he’s able to practice again today, that’s just as big of a deal, because it means that he had no setbacks from yesterday’s exertion. Again, that won’t guarantee that he will play, either, but it’s another very strong indicator of the direction we’re heading.
Some, even beat writers, have put forth the argument that the Steelers shouldn’t even play Pickett again this season after suffering his second concussion in as many months, because the team has virtually no chance of making the playoffs, and very easily could have literally no chance after Sunday.
Regardless of what one thinks, though, I think we can all safely conjecture that the Steelers will play Pickett if he is cleared and is properly prepared to play. It’s far from the first time that a player has suffered multiple concussions in a season, and far from the first that he was able to avoid missing any starts as well.
I’m as big of an advocate for player safety as there is out there, short of people campaigning to ban the game as a whole or turn it into literal flag football. Truth be told, a part of me would absolutely be fine if the Steelers decided to just sit him.
But I know they’re not going to do that. You know they’re not going to do that. So instead let’s just deal with the reality. He’s going to play if he is able to play. And so far, the first signs point to that being a distinct possibility. But again, today will tell us a lot more.
