Buy Or Sell: QB Kenny Pickett is the biggest winner of the Arthur Smith hire.
Explanation: The Steelers are reportedly hiring Arthur Smith as their next offensive coordinator; their stated ambition this offseason revolved around figuring out what they have in QB Kenny Pickett. Smith had success making the most of Ryan Tannehill when he coordinated the Tennessee Titans offense. Fellow 2022 first-round QB Desmond Ridder, however, did not find his footing under Smith with the Atlanta Falcons.
Buy:
The former Titans offensive coordinator basically conducted a salvage operation with Ryan Tannehill in Tennessee. He found ways to put the former first-round bust in positions to succeed. Former Steelers offensive coordinator Matt Canada did not accomplish as much with his quarterbacks the past two seasons. Hence why the team fired him.
Arthur Smith’s track record with Tannehill is reason enough to be optimistic about his ability to get the most out of Kenny Pickett. That doesn’t mean they will suddenly discover that Pickett is the next Tom Brady. But it does mean that they should be able to get a verdict on him one way or another. If he doesn’t take his game to the next level with Smith, he’s not going to.
One thing he did for his quarterback in Tennessee was giving him “easy win” plays. He created stress points for the defense, forcing them to commit to one of two options and allowing the quarterback to read and react accordingly. Versatile personnel and play-action passing are a part of this. That’s in his bag, and something that had been absent from Canada’s offense.
Sell:
Nevermind Tannehill. This is a what-have-you-done-for-me-lately league, and what has Arthur Smith done for us lately that will convince us he will improve Kenny Pickett? He didn’t get the most out of Desmond Ridder. Ridder is a quarterback from Pickett’s draft class who, early on, graded as a potential first-round selection. Some liked Ridder more than Pickett. Some may still.
Another issue is how the Steelers’ roster is compatible with Smith’s tendencies. Is Smith flexible enough to bend to what Pittsburgh already has on offer? Frankly, I’m not sure how fast he’ll find another coordinator job if he doesn’t make it work here, so he’d better learn how to adapt swiftly.
With the Steelers’ 2023 season in the rearview mirror following a disappointing year that came up short in the playoffs once again, it’s time to start asking more questions. Questions about the team’s future in 2024 and beyond.
The rookie class of a year ago was, on the whole, impressive, but they need to step up into staple starters in 2024. And they likely need a strong influx of talent in both free agency and the draft yet again. In addition to a revisitation of the coaching staff.
These sorts of uncertainties are what I will look to address in our Buy or Sell series. In each installment, I will introduce a topic statement and weigh some of the arguments for either buying it (meaning that you agree with it or expect it to be true) or selling it (meaning you disagree with it or expect it to be false).
