Last season, the Pittsburgh Steelers were a pretty stagnant offense when it came to creativity and adjusting plays at the line of scrimmage. TE Pat Freiermuth admitted that the offense didn’t have any hot routes built in to adjust to what the defense was showing them. This was changed from when Ben Roethlisberger was quarterback to factor in that QB Kenny Pickett was in his first season and OC Matt Canada and the coaching staff wanted to keep things simple for Pickett in his first NFL exposure.
Canada disputed that take earlier in the 2022 season, stating that Pittsburgh has had checks in its offense forever and that checks are based on situation. Either way, Pickett did show more command of the offense down the stretch last season, being able to make adjustments at the line of scrimmage compared to when he first saw the field.
Heading into 2023, Pickett has looked the part from an on-field perspective, having a better understanding of the offense and being a vocal leader in the huddle. Mike DeFabo of the Athletic tweeted recently that Pickett changed protection and made a small route adjustment prior to the snap and hit Freiermuth on a quick out route.
“It was definitely available last year. But I have more control & I feel more comfortable doing it,” Pickett said according to a tweet by DeFabo.
It’s a natural progression for Pickett to feel more comfortable in Year Two after getting thrown into the fire as a rookie. He said he wants to master the offensive system and run the show this season, having a better grasp of all of his responsibilities and abilities to make changes pre-snap.
It may not be groundbreaking news, but it’s an encouraging sign that Pickett and the offense are taking a step in the right direction. Pittsburgh’s offense needs to be more creative and dynamic than it has been in recent seasons, and Pickett having more freedom to make checks at the line of scrimmage prior to the snap can help in that regard.
