New League Year Weekend: Steelers Friday Five Questions

Happy Friday, and I hope yinz are doing well.

And happy free agency. The new league year is officially here. And the Pittsburgh Steelers rang it in with a bang. They have signed QB Russell Wilson, LB Patrick Queen, P Cameron Johnston, and traded WR Diontae Johnson to the Carolina Panthers. They’ve also re-signed S Miles Killebrew while losing a handful of free agents, including QB Mason Rudolph to the Tennessee Titans.

And oh yeah, the team traded Kenny Pickett. It’s truly one of the busiest offseasons in Steelers history.

Coupled with free agency is the first heavy week of NFL draft pro days. In between signing players and making deals, GM Omar Khan and head coach Mike Tomlin were on the scouting trail, the Steelers sending a heavy presence to Georgia’s Pro Day.

As always, we’re here to cover what’s happened and what will happen during the first weekend of the 2024 league year.

A reminder that the contest portion of our Friday Five is over. These questions are now just for fun. Congrats to our winner and thanks to everyone who participated.

Peace and love, peace and love!

1 – If you had only two choices and had to pick one, which sentence is more accurate? The Pittsburgh Steelers failed Kenny Pickett or the Steelers made a poor talent evaluation in selecting Kenny Pickett. 

2 – On a scale of 1-10, how surprised are you of the Steelers trading Kenny Pickett? Ten being the most shocked. 

3 – Did the Steelers make a good trade sending WR Diontae Johnson and a seventh-round pick to the Carolina Panthers for CB Donte Jackson and a sixth-round selection? 

4 – If the draft were held today, what position would Pittsburgh select in the first round? 

5 – Who will be the two Steelers’ starting ILBs to open 2024? (if you want outside selections, you could say Queen plus free agent or Queen plus rookie)

Recap of 2023 Free Agency Weekend Friday Night Five Questions

Question 1: Mason Rudolph did not re-sign with the Steelers prior to the new league year that began March 13. Mike Garafolo reported that Rudolph is signing with the Tennessee Titans. Eleven of 15 respondents correctly predicted that Rudolph would not re-sign with the Steelers.

Question 2: Linebacker Patrick Queen is a starting-caliber free agent. The announcement excited Steeler Nation as the now former Baltimore Raven is putting on the Black and Gold. Nine of 14 respondents said Omar Khan would sign a high-caliber free agent. Here we go!

Question 3: Nine of 14 respondents say they do NOT support the NFL moving to an 18-game regular season. Reasons cited included a watered-down product and more injuries. Chris92021 felt the 16-game season was perfect.

Question 4: The median scores had Kenny Pickett and Mason Rudolph tied ahead of Russell Wilson and Justin Fields, who also tied. The average ranking had Steelers Depot respondents placing the quarterbacks in this order: Pickett, Rudolph, Wilson, and Fields. Now it is down to Wilson and Pickett. Wasn’t that a band? Ah yes, singer Wilson Pickett, who sang In the Midnight Hour!

Question 5: Nine of 13 respondents (two abstained) said no player will break a 4.15 40-yard dash at the NFL Scouting Combine within the next 15 years. There have been 40 times recorded as fast as 4.10 by Texas Tech’s Jakeem Grant in 2016, but those were hand timed. The Combine uses partial electronic timing. The starter hits the stopwatch when the runner starts but lasers stop the watch at the finish. So, the starter reacts to the runner. In track, the racers react to a starting gun. But that means there is an up to quarter-second reaction time that would result in slower times being recorded.

Here are the consensus answers of Steelers Depot respondents compared to the correct answers:

 We appreciate everyone responding to the Friday Night Five Questions! Keep doing what you do.