Going into the offseason, if the Pittsburgh Steelers want to become serious Super Bowl contenders, they will have their work cut out for them. On paper, the biggest need is at quarterback after QB Kenny Pickett failed to take an important second-year leap.
ESPN has created a tier list that ranks teams from contender to rebuilder, and due to Pittsburgh’s mediocrity at quarterback, NFL insider Jeremy Fowler placed the team in the “Stuck In QB Purgatory” tier.
“Is there a more ‘we’re a quarterback away’ team than Pittsburgh?” asked Fowler. “The Steelers have just about everything they need, from ample skill players to an improving offensive line and three legitimate, game-changing stars on defense. A quarterback can tie it all together. At the very least, the Steelers will apply pressure on incumbent Kenny Pickett with a quarterback acquisition via trade or free agency.”
Pittsburgh has taken on both sides of the ball, but the big problem is their quarterbacks, who struggled to lead the offense to points or sustain drives at times. The Steelers know this, though, and it is clear that Pickett will have some competition this summer even if he is penciled in as a starter entering the offseason.
The big question, though, is if improvement at quarterback is enough. Pittsburgh’s defense is very star-heavy, and the past few seasons have shown that without either OLB T.J. Watt, S Minkah Fitzpatrick, or DT Cameron Heyward, the team has struggled. On offense, the line has still been shaky, even if it improved down the stretch. And while the Steelers wide receivers have superstar ability, they’ve been inconsistent, albeit in part due to the play at quarterback.
A great quarterback can turn teams around, look at QB Joe Burrow and the Cincinnati Bengals. But there are still a lot of other needs for Pittsburgh due to their poor drafting in recent years. Pittsburgh has superstars like Watt, Fitzpatrick, and Heyward, but surrounding them is just a lot of average to above-average players. Any quarterback who isn’t top five in the league likely won’t fix their issues.
Of course, Pittsburgh has to fix their quarterback position. Pickett hasn’t shown he is going to be the franchise guy everyone had hoped for. But at the same time, the Steelers have an aging defense and still have needs to fill. Trading picks for a quarterback isn’t the best idea, especially since that quarterback isn’t going to be on the level of Patrick Mahomes.
So, is Pittsburgh the most quarterback-away team? Well, if there are no injuries for sure, but as the past few years have shown, that isn’t likely. The Steelers obviously need a quarterback, that is no question. But it is oversimplifying to say they just need a quarterback. They also need help at inside linebacker and cornerback, depth on the defensive line, and to improve their offensive line. Every team has needs. The Steelers aren’t alone in that, but it is a little disingenuous to say that an above-average quarterback will make Pittsburgh Super Bowl contenders.
