Being a quarterback in the NFL is not easy in any way, with constant media scrutiny and blame following any level of failure. It can be even worse if the quarterback’s supporting cast is lackluster, with opportunities for success being few and far between. The Steelers seem to have learned this lesson after failing to provide former potential franchise quarterback Kenny Pickett with a stable offensive line in either of his years with the team. The 2024 draft saw the Steelers upgrade the trenches as much as they could, as well as grabbing a tough and nasty receiver with decent potential.
As a result of those selections, Ryan Wilson of CBS Sports has pegged Russell Wilson as the biggest winner of the draft while also positing the question of where this kind of support was for Pickett.
”He lands in Pittsburgh on the cheapest of deals for veterans, and you can’t not do it, it feels like, if you’re the Steelers. And then all they do, and I’m sure Kenny Pickett is saying, ‘well, wait a second, why didn’t you guys do this for me?’ They bolster the offensive line, they bring in Arthur Smith, they get a slot receiver, and they also get some help on defense,” Wilson said about the Steelers providing as much support as they could for Russell Wilson while wondering why they didn’t have this same strategy for Pickett. “This is one of the best drafts the Steelers have had in quite some time, and they’re pretty good at drafting. I think this is best-case scenario for Russ Wilson to have success, and if this doesn’t work out for Russ, I don’t think there’s anyone left to blame.”
It’s fair to wonder why it seems like the Steelers are investing more in Wilson than Pickett, especially given the fact they selected Pickett in the first round of the 2022 draft, but it’s really more about the situation. The Steelers drafted George Pickens, Calvin Austin III, and Connor Heyward the same year they took Pickett. They also drafted Broderick Jones and Darnell Washington in 2023 in order to better protect Pickett, as well as trade for Allen Robinson.
It wasn’t like the Steelers didn’t attempt to help Pickett. It was more like he was brought in at the wrong time, with Kendrick Green not being the center the team viewed him as and other players along the offensive line like Dan Moore Jr. struggling as well.
However, Matt Canada was the root of many of the Steelers’ offensive woes, with predictive play calling and a lack of creativity stopping Pickett before he ever got started. The Steelers’ desire to promote from within with their coaching staff backfired heavily, which obviously led to a lesson learned as they hired Arthur Smith this offseason.
Perhaps Pickett could have seen more success with Smith calling plays and a revamped offensive line in front of him, but it was ultimately his decision to leave. Had he decided to stay and compete with Wilson, these questions wouldn’t need to be asked in the first place. It’s unfair to say the Steelers didn’t at least try to put Pickett in a situation to succeed, though.
They made missteps and ultimately failed him, but he put the final nail in his own coffin. Now, Wilson and Justin Fields can hopefully benefit from the investments the Steelers have made on offense.
