Despite the Pittsburgh Steelers having made the playoffs in 2023, the team is faced with a lot of questions heading into 2024. The biggest one is focused on quarterback. The hope was that Kenny Pickett would take the next step in 2023 and solidify himself as the guy in Pittsburgh. Unfortunately, that never materialized, and the Steelers are still no closer to finding their next franchise quarterback.
However, DL Cam Heyward thinks that Pickett’s future is not decided yet. He joined Scott Ferrall on SportsGrid Radio Wednesday, and the topic of the team’s quarterback situation came up.
“It’s tough, the scrutiny already for quarterbacks,” Heyward said. “It’s insane because you’ll get guys that have never played talking about how a quarterback should be this. And then if they’re not Pat Mahomes as soon as they step on the field, you’re inconsistent, you’re not the guy. But I think there is growth… I don’t think we award people the growth in our league enough. I think there’s time to keep improving. I think Kenny can be a heck of a quarterback in this league.”
Heyward speaking on the concept of growth when it comes to Pickett and the Steelers offense as a whole is nothing new. After the Steelers fell to the New England Patriots, 21-18, during the season, Heyward put the onus on the defense for not limiting opponents to more field goals rather than on the offense for managing just two touchdowns because “they’re growing. They’re young.”
Lest we forget, Pickett has only 25 NFL games under his belt. He doesn’t have two full seasons of starting experience yet, so the Steelers only have a limited sample size in which to evaluate him. While the statistics so far may not be the most encouraging, his on-field performance does not guarantee failure in the NFL.
Then people can point to the success QB Mason Rudolph had late in 2023 while being a big part of the team ending the season on a three-game winning streak and getting into the playoffs. Why was Rudolph able to be more successful where Pickett wasn’t? Those are questions that need to be answered during this offseason.
Regardless, Heyward apparently is encouraged by what he has seen from Pickett if he believes that the first signal caller taken in the 2022 NFL Draft “can be a heck of a quarterback in this league.” The team outwardly has not given up on Pickett and intends for him to enter training camp in a competition to prove he can still be the No. 1 guy.
The growth that Heyward speaks about needs to occur soon, though. While the league and fans are often too quick to judge players, and quarterbacks especially, the reality is that the Steelers took Pickett in the first round of the draft. There are expectations whether warranted or not. Pickett needs to show growth under new offensive coordinator Arthur Smith during the offseason and into 2024. Otherwise, the Steelers will be no closer to their stated goals of playoff success.
You can watch the entirety of Heyward’s conversation with Ferrall below:
