For the second time in three seasons, the quarterback position is the biggest area of need for the Pittsburgh Steelers entering the offseason.
Unlike last time when the Steelers went into the 2022 offseason without Ben Roethlisberger under center following his retirement, they seem to have some sort of answer at the position, this time in third-year pro Kenny Pickett. But that answer might not be a good one, which is why the Steelers find themselves in the quarterback market once again under head coach Mike Tomlin.
Though Tomlin and team president and owner Art Rooney II stated that they still believe in Pickett as a franchise quarterback in Pittsburgh and want to see him make improvements, the team is still going to bring in some competition for the former Pitt Panthers star.
What that competition remains to be seen and is the biggest offseason question for the Black and Gold, at least according to ESPN Steelers reporter Brooke Pryor.
In a piece for ESPN.com Thursday that looked at the biggest offseason question mark for all 32 teams, the Steelers’ QB competition was the biggest question for Pittsburgh.
“Coach Mike Tomlin and owner and president Art Rooney II expressed a desire to bring in competition for their 2022 first-round pick to elevate the team’s overall quarterback play. Though Tomlin said Pickett would resume his status as QB1 in the offseason, he was also quick to say that no one is “anointed” the starter — that means new O-coordinator Arthur Smith should have the opportunity to fill out the quarterback room,” Pryor writes for ESPN.com. “The team already mutually parted ways with Mitch Trubisky, and late-season hero Mason Rudolph is scheduled to be a free agent. Expect new players to be added through the draft and/or free agency at a position that has been largely unchanged the past two seasons.”
While the Steelers released Trubisky less than a year after signing him to a multi-year extension to lower his cap hit for the 2023 season, they still have the public desire to do business with Rudolph once again after his impressive four-game stretch late in the season that gave the offense life and helped lead them to the playoffs.
But there are reports that Rudolph wants a fresh start elsewhere, which could throw the Steelers’ quarterback room into a bit of flux.
Were Rudolph to sign elsewhere in free agency, the Steelers would obviously have a serious need at the position behind Pickett. Names like Ryan Tannehill, Jacoby Brissett, Russell Wilson and even Kirk Cousins have been connected to the Steelers so far this offseason, not to mention Justin Fields.
Of course, Cousins would cost a significant amount in free agency while Fields would cost quite a bit via trade. Wilson is still under contract with the Denver Broncos though he is likely on his way out after being benched and would likely cost very little in free agency as Denver still owes him quite a bit. But Tannehill and Brissett make quite a bit of sense for the Steelers, though neither should be viewed as true competition for the starting job.
The NFL draft could be a path to add competition too, but right now based on the outlook of the quarterback position in Pittsburgh, the competition is a major need, period.
We’ll see what the Steelers can do this offseason at the position. They have to be aggressive though in an effort to improve play at the QB position.
