The Pittsburgh Steelers need to add multiple QBs this offseason before training camp. That’s straight from owner Art Rooney II, not just me. The Steelers only have Kenny Pickett under contract, so the depth chart is barren. Rumors have abounded about veteran QBs like Russell Wilson, Justin Fields, Kirk Cousins, and even some fringe names like Joe Flacco and Trey Lance recently.
However, it would not surprise anyone if the Steelers did take a flier on a quarterback in the 2024 NFL Draft. What might surprise you is where CBS Sports’s Tom Fornelli has the Steelers taking a quarterback in his latest mock. Fornelli has them trading up to ninth overall to take Michigan QB J.J. McCarthy.
“The Steelers realize Kenny Pickett isn’t the answer and don’t waste time trying to correct the situation,” Fornelli writes. “Arthur Smith is likely to bring a run-heavy offense that relies on play action and tight ends, and that sounds a lot like the offense McCarthy ran at Michigan! McCarthy has a strong arm, diagnoses defenses quickly, and is a good enough athlete to regularly extend drives with his legs. He’d be a good fit here.”
First, it seems incredibly unlikely that the Steelers would make the jump from the 20th overall pick into the top 10. That’s investing a lot of resources for a team that has plenty of holes and has said its still thinks Pickett can be the answer. The Steelers need to address multiple spots along the offensive line in left tackle and center along with positions at all three levels of their defense.
But let’s entertain the thought of the Steelers deciding that they want a completely fresh start at quarterback with a high draft pick. What Fornelli wrote about Smith’s offense is true. We even dove into how Smith utilized his tight ends with the Atlanta Falcons and Tennesee Titans. Then there’s the staggering difference in how much Smith used play-action with the Falcons in 2023 versus the Steelers (seventh-most play-action attempts in the league versus dead last.)
So could McCarthy be a good fit for the Steelers? He very well could be. McCarthy helped lead the Michigan Wolverines to the national title in 2023, completing 72.3 percent of his passes for 2,991 yards, 22 touchdowns, and only four interceptions. In his three-year college career, he threw for 6,226 yards with 8.7 yards per attempt, 49 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions. That’s a pretty darn impressive resume. He also has shown the ability to be effective on the ground, rushing for 632 yards and 10 touchdowns over the same time span. So how will all that translate to the NFL?
Our very own Jonathan Heitritter scouted McCarthy and sees him as a quality starter in Year 1. We can debate if McCarthy is more of a late first- or early second-round pick. But if you believe he can come in and help you win football games as a rookie, he’s someone worth considering trading up for. The Steelers proved they are willing to trade up to get their guy when they made a move to select OT Broderick Jones in the 2023 NFL Draft. However, that was only three spots, and it took only trading the 120th overall pick to do so.
Trading up to ninth overall from the 20th pick will require a lot more. If you thought Pickett is under a ton of pressure this offseason, imagine how much McCarthy would be in this situation.
