As the start of training camp fast approaches for the Pittsburgh Steelers, all eyes will be on second-year signal caller Kenny Pickett ahead of the 2023 season.
Having played in 13 games (12 starts) last season for the Steelers after being selected No. 20 overall in the 2022 NFL Draft, Pickett went through his ups and downs while developing on the job. He closed the season in strong fashion though and then saw GM Omar Khan add pieces around him, namely offensive linemen Isaac Seumalo, Nate Herbig and Broderick Jones to better protect him, while also adding pass-catching weapons Allen Robinson II and Darnell Washington for Pickett to utilize through the air.
Now, with pieces in place around him and experience under his belt, eyes will be on Pickett to see if he can take that second-year leap that many quarterbacks before him have done. CBS Sports has its attention on Pickett, naming him the Steelers’ “offensive X-factor” Thursday on CBSSports.com.
“Pickett had an up-and-down rookie season that saw him complete 63% of his passes at an average of just 6.2 yards per attempt, with seven touchdowns against nine interceptions. He improved over the second half of the year as the Steelers somehow once again rallied to finish with a winning record, but he still didn’t show much of a ceiling as a passer,” CBS Sports’ Jared Dubin writes regarding Pickett as the Steelers’ offensive X-factor. “The future of Pittsburgh’s offense depends on Pickett being able to access a higher level of playmaking both inside and outside the pocket, and being able to push the ball downfield to create big plays.”
Things were certainly a bit rocky early on in the Pickett era as the rookie really struggled with turnovers. He settled in though after that and was much better with the football after the Week 9 bye, even if the standard counting numbers weren’t all that impressive to look at. What was impressive to look at was what matters the most in football: wins. Pickett helped the Steelers go 7-2 down the stretch in the second half of the season, finishing 9-8 on the season in a year of transition.
He did that with quite a bit of late-game heroics in the second half of the season, too.
Though he’s just 13 games into his career and the numbers don’t look all that great, it certainly feels like the Steelers have the right guy for the job moving forward, based on his leadership, moxie and overall confidence, even in weighty, pressure-packed moments. Nothing ever feels too big for him, and he has an unwavering confidence that he can get the job done.
That rubs off on his teammates and has guys rallying around him.
It’s very clear the Steelers have their QB1 for the foreseeable future. Will he be able to ascend into that “franchise QB” tier, one who gives them a chance to win no matter the opponent every time they step between the white lines? That remains to be seen. That’s what makes him the offensive X-factor for CBS Sports.
