Though the reported hiring of Arthur Smith as the next offensive coordinator for the Pittsburgh Steelers is not official just yet, it continues to heighten the analysis surrounding the Steelers’ outlook offensively, especially at the quarterback position.
While the Steelers are expected to run it back with Kenny Pickett at quarterback next season and have stated publicly that they want pending free agent Mason Rudolph to return, they will have some options at quarterback in free agency, at least according to NFL Network’s Gregg Rosenthal.
Appearing on The Mina Kimes Show Thursday, Rosenthal stated that the Steelers will have some options on the free agency market, including the likes of Jacoby Brissett and Ryan Tannehill, that will fit Smith’s style, which features play-action, deep shots over the middle of the field and more.
Regardless of having options, Rosenthal sees the quarterback position as a messy situation for the Steelers.
“It’s just messy ’cause there’s actually a lot of those mid-level quarterbacks that are gonna be available on the market this year. Jacoby Brissett is our yearly one that we just like love to think about,” Rosenthal said, according to audio via the Mina Kimes Show. “They say they wanna bring back Mason Rudolph and he was their best quarterback last year and they’re not gonna cut Kenny Pickett. So he’s still there.
“So it’s like, then you bring in a Jacoby Brissett, it’s a little confusing to me. If I were them, I would almost rather go back to the draft again. And I don’t know if that says a lot about Kenny Pickett, but I think that’s fine. You just keep taking swings.”
There are options on the free agent market for the Steelers to pursue. Granted, head coach Mike Tomlin and team president and owner Art Rooney II stated publicly that they want Rudolph to return after his strong four-game stretch to finish the 2023 season.
But it has to be mutual, and if Rudolph does not want to return, the Steelers will be in the market for a veteran quarterback.
That could be Tannehill, who has plenty of experience under Smith, throwing for 55 touchdowns in their two seasons together in Tennessee, leading the Titans to a number of franchise records from an offensive standpoint. But that could also be Brissett, who has started 48 career games and thrown for 10,574 yards, 51 touchdowns and 23 interceptions.
The Steelers were a fit for Brissett when Matt Canada was the offensive coordinator due to the connection the two had at North Carolina State, but even with Smith in the building now there remains a fit as Brissett is more of a pro-style quarterback who thrives under center and out of play-action.
All that said though, there is some concern with any quarterback under Smith after his three years in Atlanta as the head coach, leading to some serious struggles from the position. Those struggles included Marcus Mariota, Taylor Heinicke and Desmond Ridder.
“I think he was dealt, and he created, the losing hand in Atlanta at quarterback, but I think you could look at it also like he got the best years out of Ryan Tannehill, or certainly was part of those years,” Rosenthal said regarding Smith and the quarterback position. “And for what it’s worth, he got the best out of Mariota that we saw. Like, the one time people really were in on Mariota as, ‘Okay this guy might be the guy’ was with him, too. And so I think it did make a lot of sense.”
The hiring of Smith certainly made a lot of sense for the Steelers. There is no questioning that, especially with their personnel on the offense. But it will come down to the quarterback position. Regardless of what happens with Rudolph, the Steelers will have some options on the free agent market to pair with Smith.
