Ahead of the start of training camp and eventually the 2023 season, Pittsburgh Steelers second-year quarterback Kenny Pickett will have a lot of eyes on him as he jumps into his second lap around the track in the NFL, as head coach Mike Tomlin likes to say.
Pickett, who has an improved offensive line in front of him with the additions of Isaac Seumalo and Broderick Jones on the left side, and a strong group of offensive weapons including receivers Diontae Johnson and George Pickens, tight end Pat Freiermuth and running back Najee Harris, is expected to take a significant second-year leap at the position.
That leap could lead to the Steelers becoming legitimate contenders in the NFL, especially if the offense improves and the defense stays healthy and remains at the high level of play it’s produced over the years.
Pickett’s development remains to be seen, but there are a number of questions surrounding him overall.
That includes Sports Illustrated’s Gilbert Manzaro wondering if Pickett is the “right quarterback to lead” the Steelers moving forward.
In a piece highlighting one big question entering training camp for each AFC North team, Manzaro has concerns about Pickett and if he’s the guy who can be that next franchise quarterback for the Steelers.
“It’s understandable as to why the Steelers have plenty of confidence in Pickett, despite his underwhelming stat line of seven touchdowns, nine interceptions and 6.2 yards per attempt. Quarterbacks such as Russell Wilson, Ben Roethlisberger and even Tom Brady weren’t statistical machines early in their careers, but they won many games and improved their stats as the seasons went by,” Manzaro writes. “This is not to say Pickett will come close to the careers of the aforementioned quarterbacks, but it makes sense as to why he is not competing for his job this summer. Pickett, the 2022 first-round pick, can let the Steelers know they made the right decision by leading a productive offense against the team’s rugged defense throughout training camp practices.”
When it comes to Pickett and the questions about him, they always seemingly come back to his stat line from his rookie season.
Pickett threw for just 2,404 yards and had seven touchdowns to nine interceptions as a rookie. He added another 237 rushing yards and three touchdowns on 55 carries. Those numbers, on the surface, aren’t all that impressive. But, here are some numbers that are for Pickett: 7-5 as a starter; four game-winning drives; three fourth-quarter comebacks.
Winning is all that matters in the end. Granted, it would be nice to see Pickett take as step forward statistically as a rookie, especially if third-year offensive coordinator Matt Canada opens up the playbook a bit more and allows Pickett to push the ball down the field.
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 behind 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 that gives them a chance to win no matter the opponent every time they step between the white lines? That remains to be seen. Time will certainly tell on that.
But if Pickett can find that consistency throughout games, he can become that franchise quarterback the Steelers searched for all offseason ahead of the 2022 season and believe they found. The moxie and leadership is real, but from an on-field production standpoint, the rookie has a long way to go, and that’s perfectly fine.
He certainly looks and feels like the right quarterback to lead Pittsburgh forward. Now it’s time to put those questions to bed with his play on the field.
