When the Steelers benched Kenny Pickett last season in favor of Mason Rudolph, many believed that his time in Pittsburgh was over. There was speculation that the former first-round pick would be traded, and the Black and Gold would trade up in the draft to select a new starting quarterback.
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However, Arthur Smith’s first interview as the new Offensive Coordinator brought Pickett back into the conversation. Many, including Art Rooney 2, expect Smith to extract the best performance from Kenny and enhance the offense with him as the starting quarterback. The plan also involves retaining Rudolph as a backup to maintain a competitive dynamic.
However, it appears that the organization has shifted its stance regarding Pickett, and the trust once placed in him no longer persists. A successful first-round QB or any QB performing at the highest level rarely gets displaced from the starting position, and backup QBs seldom see snaps unless due to injury. This doesn’t seem to be the case for Pickett, as Steelers GM Omar Khan intends to bring in another QB to intensify the competition in the quarterback room.
Khan delivered two contradictory statements. On one hand, he asserted that he has full faith in their signal-caller and that Pickett has shown promise under Smith. On the other hand, his statement that the Steelers are open to drafting or acquiring another quarterback indicates their lack of complete trust in Pickett.
While he justified bringing in another QB by asserting that they are a team that always had three quarterbacks on their roster, it is understandable that the franchise will pursue another shot-caller, considering Pickett’s poor performance since entering the league. He has never thrown for more than 2500 yards and has one of the worst TD-to-Interception ratios in the league. Currently, Kenny is the only QB under contract in their QB room, so it is also reasonable to consider drafting a new QB or looking for one in free agency.
Fans agreed with Khan’s assessment that the team needs another QB and feel Pickett hasn’t done enough to warrant a place in the starting eleven. Fans are fed up with Kenny and most don’t have good things to say about him.
Kenny Pickett being Replaced Receives Positive Reactions from Steeler Nation
While Khan asserted his faith in Pickett, the majority of fans don’t share the same sentiment and believe that the trust placed in him is misplaced. Fans think the team should draft or sign a new QB, not just for competitiveness, but to replace the former Pittsburgh Panther star. They feel Kenny lacks composure as a pocket passer and doesn’t possess the arm strength needed to make big plays. Some even believe the franchise hasn’t learned its lesson and fear that another season will be wasted with him as their QB1. Take a sook:
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While Kenny Pickett struggled last season, he isn’t solely to blame for the Steelers’ misfortunes. The offensive line didn’t fare any better, and the team is currently lacking in this department. Moreover, the team released their starting Center, Mason Cole, after two unimpressive seasons and will be looking to draft a new one in the upcoming draft. The team is also without starting tackles and will be spending draft capital to acquire a star tackle. Tackles are typically in high demand, and many get drafted in the first or second rounds, as per Steeler Nation.
Although the team drafted Joey Porter Jr. last season, they still feel short in the cornerback position. Patrick Peterson hasn’t been the same as before. Similar to tackles, it’s advisable to draft cornerbacks in the first round. The Steelers currently have the 20th pick in the draft and could land Clemson cornerback Nate Wiggins with it. The franchise has already met with 22 players in the Combine and will conduct more interviews in the coming days.
