The Steelers struggles at the quarterback position with Kenny Pickett were a big reason for the team’s offensive woes in 2023, and PFF’s Steve Palazzolo believes that Pittsburgh needs to keep taking chances at hitting on a quarterback to compete. During an appearance on The PM Team on 93.7 The Fan, Palazzolo said if the Steelers want to win a championship, they need to keep swinging at quarterback.
“If the goal is ultimately to maneuver this team to a championship, I think you have to keep swinging at quarterback,” Palazzolo said, while adding that the Steelers should take a quarterback at 20th overall if one of the top four falls. Otherwise, Pittsburgh should prioritize the position in the second or third round, according to Palazzolo.
While there’s basically a zero percent chance that one of Caleb Williams, Drake Maye or Jayden Daniels falls to the Steelers at No. 20, the group of J.J. McCarthy, Bo Nix and Michael Penix Jr. may still be available. It’s highly unlikely that the Steelers would select any of them rather than addressing other needs (although ESPN’s Field Yates did have the Steelers drafting Nix at 20 in his mock draft) but the Steelers still are probably going to address quarterback in the draft.
Spencer Rattler, Michael Pratt and Jordan Travis are guys in the middle rounds of the draft that the Steelers might be paying closer attention to. Drafting a quarterback in the first round is signifying the end of the Pickett era and restarting Pittsburgh’s search for its franchise quarterback after just two seasons. Even if Pickett hasn’t looked like the guy yet, the Steelers don’t seem ready to completely close the book on him.
The much more likely outcome is drafting a middle-round quarterback and then signing a veteran, or bringing back Mason Rudolph with one other addition, likely through undrafted free agency or a lower-caliber veteran to fill out the room. So while the Steelers won’t take a big swing, they will more than likely take a look at another rookie quarterback.
If the Steelers were just one quarterback away from the Super Bowl and didn’t have needs elsewhere, Palazzolo’s plan would make more sense. But the Steelers still need help along the offensive line and in the secondary, and a first-round quarterback at pick No. 20 who isn’t one of the top-tier prospects isn’t a guarantee to develop into someone who can lead the Steelers to a Super Bowl, especially without help elsewhere. This just doesn’t feel like the draft or the offseason where the Steelers take a big swing at their next quarterback.
