Veteran NFL quarterback Russell Wilson has been a popular name connected to the Pittsburgh Steelers in recent weeks. Former NFL wide receiver Chad Johnson stated that “a little birdie” told him Wilson would sign with the Steelers in free agency while Colin Cowherd said on “The Herd” that Wilson would be a great fit in Pittsburgh.Â
But for former Steelers running back Merril Hoge, who appeared on “The Herd” Wednesday, adding a player like Wilson would “create more issues than it would solve” and that the Steelers aren’t turning their back on Pickett because they still have a strong belief in him.
When pressed by Cowherd to give his thoughts on Wilson being a fit with the Steelers, Hoge took a different path, highlighting Pickett, making the case for the young quarterback to still be the guy in Pittsburgh.
“Well, I actually think that there’s still a strong belief in Kenny Pickett. I will tell you this in all fairness, and having been around that organization and close to it, his skill set is good enough to help you win a championship,” Hoge told Cowherd, according to video via the show’s YouTube page. “Was it eroding before he got hurt? Yes. I mean, he was playing fast. He wasn’t letting things develop. I mean, he was completely out of character.”
Pickett was playing out of character based on how he looked late in his rookie season, and then how he looked throughout training camp and in the preseason.
He wasn’t aggressive, his accuracy completely fell apart, and his decision making was questionable. But once the Steelers fired OC Matt Canada entering Week 12 against the Cincinnati Bengals, it was as if Pickett could breathe again. He played well on the road against the Bengals and then looked sharp in the first two quarters against the visiting Arizona Cardinals in Week 13 before getting injured.
He ultimately lost his starting job to Mason Rudolph late in the season despite being healthy, getting a chance to sit back, take a breath and recalibrate.
Hoge believes getting benched was good for Pickett. He also believes in the moves the Steelers made offensively from a coaching staff perspective this offseason. They include bringing in Arthur Smith as their next offensive coordinator, hiring Zach Azzanni as wide receivers coach, and landing Tom Arth and Matt Baker as quarterbacks coach and offensive assistant, respectively. Baker will presumably work with Pickett and the quarterbacks moving forward.
Even former quarterbacks coach and interim play-caller Mike Sullivan was retained as a senior offensive assistant, keeping a familiar face in the building as well as a coach Pickett trusts and has great respect for.
The Steelers’ decision makers, like head coach Mike Tomlin and owner Art Rooney II, have made it clear that Pickett remains QB1 this offseason. They have said they still believe in him still while also acknowledging that he needs some competition to push him.
Bringing in a guy like Wilson doesn’t line up with those public comments, which had Hoge pushing back against the idea.
“So I just don’t think [Wilson] will end up there. I just think there’s still a belief in Kenny Pickett and I think with the changes they’ve made offensively, the youth that you just described, he has a great rapport with that,” Hoge said. “He has a charisma about him and a leadership too that, it’s probably not talked about outside of the arena of Pittsburgh that people recognize and acknowledge that he has with players and the team itself.
“I think this training camp will be pivotal for him, but I don’t see them turning their back on him. And I think if you go get Russell Wilson, it would create more issues than it would solve.”
Leadership from Pickett has been brought into question in recent months, from the report that he refused to be a backup in Seattle once healthy — a report Pickett disputed publicly — to perceived comments from Diontae Johnson after the season, and even cornerback Patrick Peterson stating that Pickett wasn’t that leader a team needs at the position just yet because he still needs to grow into it.Â
Hoge seems to believe that the leadership is there from Pickett and that it’s just not seen by the public. Time will tell.
But Hoge’s general premise that there remains a steadfast belief in Pickett within the organization rings true. Adding Wilson would go against that.
