Getty NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell announces a pick by the Pittsburgh Steelers.
It’s no secret. The Pittsburgh Steelers need a quarterback. The statement has been true for the past few seasons but never as true as it is today. Sure, Pittsburgh made an early free agency splash with the signing of Mitch Trubisky, but he’s not anticipated to be the long-term answer. And with the sudden and tragic passing of Dwayne Haskins, the team now has only two in the quarterback room when general manager Kevin Colbert has repeatedly stated he wants four heading into training camp.
The newest addition of Trubisky is being viewed more as a temporary solution — a bridge to one of the young quarterbacks in the 2022 NFL draft class, as all are developmental projects. Although the NFL is a sport where absolutely anything can happen — and has — Trubisky has not yet shown that franchise-carrying ability that every team seeks.
It is foolish to believe that the Steelers will be lucky enough to land that franchise guy the very season after Ben Roethlisberger retired, but it shouldn’t stop the team from trying. It could take years of Mitch Trubiskys to find their next Ben Roethlisberger.
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The Holy Grail
Many draftniks predict that the search begins this month, April 2022. While a few mock drafts have the Steelers selecting an offensive or defensive lineman with the 20th overall selection, most are projecting Pittsburgh to take a signal-caller.
The crystal ball of Mel Kiper, ESPN’s veteran draft analyst, foresees quarterback for the Black and Gold. “I couldn’t get away from quarterback,” Kiper told Heavy, “especially in that division.”
“I keep hearing Desmond Ridder’s name, but with [Kenny] Pickett there, I had to give them Pickett,” he said.
Kiper believes that Pickett isn’t a quarterback worthy of the top 10, but he’s irresistible should he fall past pick 19. In Kiper’s latest mock draft, that’s exactly how names went off the board. Liberty’s Malik Willis was the first quarterback taken by the Atlanta Falcons at No. 8.
I’d feel much more comfortable taking Pickett here than I would in the top 10. Best-case scenario is that he becomes a Derek Carr, and his floor is an Andy Dalton, which isn’t a bad quarterback by any means. Pittsburgh can win with that. Still, those two were taken in Round 2 and didn’t have Round 1 expectations surrounding them. If Pickett falls into the Steelers’ laps here, he’d be tough to pass up. And he has a little more upside than Mitch Trubisky.
Saying that Pickett has “a little more upside than Mitch Trubisky” is far from a glowing endorsement. But the very quarterback he’s being compared to is why the Steelers are in a good position for a rookie who needs some work.
Steelers brass saw something in Trubisky that triggered the acquisition. They believe he has starter potential. After all, they signed him to a $14 million contract — that’s not backup money.
Pickett was a Heisman Trophy finalist after a breakout season in which he led Pitt to their first-ever conference title. He concluded the 2021 season with a 67.2% completion rate and records in passing yards (4,319) and touchdowns (42) with only seven interceptions thrown.
But it wasn’t always sunshine and lollipops for the Jersey-born field general. Pickett was a slightly above-average quarterback in the four seasons leading up to his tremendous fifth-year senior campaign.
Pickett is the most NFL-ready quarterback of the top prospects, but just as his collegiate career went, so could the pros.
Should Pickett fall to the Steelers, they’re prepared to groom him. And it could be worth it.