As we move into the 2023 NFL campaign, quarterback Kenny Pickett is set to take the reigns as the full-time starter from day one for the Pittsburgh Steelers. Like most quarterbacks who get playing time as a rookie, there were some flaws in Pickett’s game last season. These were expected, however, and what’s more important to focus on is how and if he shows he can grow in year two.
For Pickett and many other second-year quarterbacks, the focus will be on improving on the little things to tighten up his game. There are a lot of things you can get away with in college that have to be perfect in the NFL. Any incorrect read before the snap will be punished, there’s no room for error. And for Pickett, this has been one of the many focuses this offseason. Luckily for him and Steelers fans, he will have a lot of help in doing so.
Pickett sat down with Chris Long to talk about his development on the Green Light Podcast:
“Going against T.J. [Watt] has helped me,” Pickett said. “I’ve asked him what alignments make him slow down and what makes him second-guess certain things. Having that in my head, I take it to the film and see if guys on the other team are doing the same thing that [Watt] says that he does. And when I have that, I see that I can get a beat here and by a half second there.”
So often we see first-round quarterbacks with all the talent in the world bust out of the league. And often it has to do with the situation they are in. The organizational culture isn’t good, there aren’t veterans to mentor them, the coaching staff is bad, the list goes on.
But it feels good to know that Pickett has a lot of these things going for him, and learning from a guy as accomplished and talented as defensive end T.J. Watt is just about as good as it gets. Having that mentorship should help Pickett move into year two and get those half-seconds back like he talked about, which would be huge for this team and this offense.
With the roster the Steelers have, they don’t need Kenny Pickett to be a superstar right this second. They have enough talented offensive weapons, stars on defense, and an established coaching staff. If Pickett is able to limit mistakes, stay efficient on the field and manage the game well, this team will be tough to beat on any given Sunday. And it seems like Pickett is doing all he can this offseason to be that game manager the team needs.
