If there’s any silver lining to missing on a first-round quarterback like Kenny Pickett, the Pittsburgh Steelers can take those tough lessons to improve their next search for a franchise quarterback. Already teasing the idea of having an eye toward the draft, owner Art Rooney II briefly recapped Pickett’s failure to become the team’s next franchise quarterback.
In essentially his first comments since Pickett was traded last March, Rooney admitted it was disappointing for the organization to swing and miss.
“Obviously it’s disappointing that Kenny didn’t work out to be our long-term quarterback here,” Rooney told reporters as aired by 93.7 The Fan Monday afternoon. “I’m not sure there’s a lot to be learned from that. We just have to look at the next opportunity and make sure we do a good job evaluating it the next time around.”
It’s a curious comment from Rooney believing there wasn’t “a lot to be learned” from the Pickett miss. Any time a franchise misses on a first-round pick, there should be an autopsy to determine why the team missed. It may not always result in wholesale changes but understanding what went wrong, especially at a critical position like quarterback, is vital for a team that will eventually go through the process of deciding on a top-flight prospect.
After drafting Pickett, the team lauded his accuracy. But in the NFL, Pickett’s accuracy was only average and no more special than anyone else’s. Pittsburgh may have always found too much comfort in him being the easiest evaluation. The local kid who practiced and played in the same facility and stadium as the Steelers. For a coach like Mike Tomlin, who usually shies away from comfort, the team seemed to embrace it when deciding on Pickett over other options.
As it turns out, none of the top names of the ’22 draft class were future franchise arms. The only gem was Brock Purdy, unearthed by the San Francisco 49ers with the last pick of the draft. Malik Willis, Matt Corral, Desmond Ridder, and Sam Howell have all had their NFL struggles, and none are starting in the league. Pickett is now the No. 2 quarterback for the Philadelphia Eagles and preparing for next month’s Super Bowl.
When the Steelers take their next swing, they can’t afford to miss. And the first-round remains the most likely path to finding a long-term answer at quarterback. Even if Rooney doesn’t think there’s much to be gleaned, hopefully the rest of the front office has a new approach. Considering all the new faces, including assistant GM Andy Weidl, and heavy turnover in the scouting/personnel department, the Steelers have better odds of getting it right the next time.
