The NFL Draft hasn’t happened yet, but the Pittsburgh Steelers are underway in their preparation for the 2023 NFL season. After failing to make the playoffs in 2022 the Steelers are looking to get back to the dance, and it is starting with their voluntary offseason workouts.
Players such as quarterback Kenny Pickett, running back Najee Harris, and many others including new free agency pickups have returned to Pittsburgh to train for the new season. This voluntary workout phase involves light, on-field work and time in the weightroom so no practices have gotten underway yet.
Despite this, Pickett still finds this time valuable as he gets to see familiar faces and meet his new teammates. He told Teresa Varley of Steelers.com how happy he was to be back.
“It’s great to have everyone back,” Pickett told Varley “There are a lot of familiar faces, but there are a lot of new faces too. It’s a good time to learn everyone’s name to be honest. It’s an opportunity to get back into the swing of things and get into a routine. It was awesome to see everyone.”
Pickett is quickly becoming a leader in the Steelers locker room and now with a full offseason with the team expect more of it. Pickett has already trained with teammates in Florida this offseason. Now he gets to train with them again back at the facility and meet new players who have joined the team in free agency.
In particular for Pickett, the Steelers have added a lot on the offensive side of the ball. Pickett will have a new left guard this year in Isaac Seumalo as he joined the team in free agency from the Philadelphia Eagles this offseason. Nate Herbig, offensive guard from the New York Jets, was signed and former Tennessee Titans tackle Le’Raven Clark also joined the team in March via free agency. While Herbig and Clark aren’t expected to start there is a chance they are on the field when Pickett takes snaps this year so it is important they build chemistry with Pickett.
With all the new and old names returning to Pittsburgh, Pickett commented how it shows that this Steelers team is committed in getting back to the playoffs to have a chance to win the Super Bowl.
“It shows the commitment. We have a young team, and we want to get better. If we continue to have that kind of commitment throughout the spring, it will springboard us into camp and that is what you want.”
Even more new players will soon be joining the team and as OTA’s gets underway for Pickett and the Steelers players and staff to meet. One of those new players may be wide receiver Allen Robinson, who will reportedly be traded to Pittsburgh from the Los Angeles Rams pending a physical. Others will be the new draftees as the 2023 NFL Draft gets underway in two weeks.
There is still a long way to go until Week One, but Kenny Pickett is already taking a leadership role on the team. If the team goes far this year a lot of it will be because of him. And he’s already on the right path, back at work in Pittsburgh in April.
