A quarterback in rhythm is a dangerous one.
Pittsburgh Steelers second-year quarterback Kenny Pickett is aiming to become just that thanks to the work he put in throughout the offseason with private quarterback coach Tony Racioppi in an effort to improve arguably his biggest weakness coming out of his rookie season: footwork.
While his footwork in the pocket wasn’t poor by any means as a rookie, it is an area he needed to improve on. Through a week of training camp, Pickett feels like he’s corrected those issues and is proud of the work he put in, he said to Sirius XM’s Pat Kirwan and Jim Miller on a recent “Movin’ The Chains” show.
“So I think the rhythm passing, I feel real confident in my base and my footwork. When the pocket got hot and I’m sliding left or sliding right, being able to adjust and make those throws in my second and third progression, that was the biggest emphasis for me in the off season from a fundamental standpoint,” Pickett told Kirwan and Miller, according to audio via SiriusXM.com. “And I feel like that does tie into ownership of the offense though. And understanding where your second and third options though, and how fast you can get there. Popping your feet and your eyes getting there before your feet, being able to see your throws.
“I think a lot goes into it, but I’m proud of the work that I put in. I think it’s showing out there this camp.”
Pickett has had a strong camp overall. Sure, he’s had some sloppy days early on, but he’s bounced back in great fashion, including Friday night when Pickett had his best day of camp, completing 11-of-12 throws for two touchdowns. The lone incompletion didn’t hit the ground either; wide receiver George Pickens was ruled out of bounds on the play.
The footwork looks strong, and it comes as no surprise considering how meticulous and committed to the finite details Pickett has shown to this point in his career.
If the footwork improves and carries over into his second season as the starter for the Black and Gold, look out.
Off-platform throws really improved down the stretch for Pickett in 2022. He made some terrific throws late in the season while on the move, especially against the Baltimore Ravens in the thrilling Week 17 comeback win on the road with clutch completions to Pat Freiermuth and Najee Harris on the game-winning drive.
Footwork within the pocket will be the key for Pickett moving forward, especially behind a rebuilt, seemingly improved offensive line. At times last season his footwork really let him down in the pocket. He was off balance, wasn’t stepping fully into throws, and tended to drift within the pocket — most often to his left — working his way right into pressure, making it rather hard on his blockers.
That led to the emphasis this offseason with Racioppi.
So far, the hard work is paying off for the young quarterback. We’ll see how the footwork holds up when the games start to count, but it’s hard to not be pleased with the progression Pickett has seemingly made to this point.
