It has been interesting to watch this offseason unfold in relation to the Pittsburgh Steelers. Their moves made have met with nearly unanimous approval, and yet they haven’t gained all that much traction in terms of being considered as a postseason option, or at least much of a threat to make a playoff run.
Among the skeptics is Maggie Gray, co-host of the Maggie and Perloff Show on which former Steelers CB Bryant McFadden was recently a guest. She asked if it was fair that she felt Pittsburgh wouldn’t make the postseason this year even though she was a fan of what it did this offseason.
“I think it is deserving because you don’t really know”, McFadden said. “There’s a lot of unknowns with the Pittsburgh Steelers and the biggest unknown is the quarterback in a division where they have a lot of star power at that position. Can Kenny Pickett stay with the pack, the other three guys at the position, in the AFC North”?
It’s true that in a relatively short amount of time the division has become regarded as one of the most competitive in football, if not the overall best. Much of that is predicated on the strength of the quarterback position, wherein everybody outside of Pittsburgh rosters a starter who is a Pro Bowler.
The Baltimore Ravens boast a league MVP quarterback in Lamar Jackson, who is one of the winningest quarterbacks of all time (by percentage) in his first five seasons. The Cincinnati Bengals look to have a bright future with former first-overall pick Joe Burrow. And in Cleveland, the Browns are hoping to finally bear the fruit of last year’s labor, pulling off a blockbuster trade for three-time Pro Bowler Deshaun Watson.
Even though Pickett has the weakest resume, McFadden does believe the organizational structure, coaching pedigree, and depth of the roster has the Steelers in a position to compete—if they can stay on the field.
“Now it’s about staying healthy, secondly, and first and foremost, the quarterback play, developing Kenny Pickett, taking a huge step and just staying healthy”, he said, no doubt with last year’s injury to OLB T.J. Watt on his mind. If they can get that going for them, he feels, “Pittsburgh can be right there”.
The Steelers finished third in the AFC North last season despite posting a 9-8 record. They recorded seven wins to two losses following their bye week last season, a run that included several fourth-quarter comebacks.
But the manner in which they won games in the second half of last season was not regarded as sustainable, not without improvements, anyway. This offseason, they’ve bolstered the offensive line, committed to the run game, and invested in the defense where they felt they were weak or in need of improvement.
The biggest moves made there were at cornerback with the signing of Patrick Peterson in free agency and then the drafting of Joey Porter Jr. at the top of the second round. They also turned over the inside linebacker room and invested in the defensive line, which significantly included the retention of Larry Ogunjobi.
It would probably be fair to say that Pickett entering the 2023 season ranks fourth among quarterbacks in the AFC North. But perhaps he’ll rank somewhat higher by the end of the season. And I certainly don’t think the Steelers would rank fourth in roster talent from top to bottom. Or in coaching.
