Eric Espada/Getty Images Kenny Pickett of the Pittsburgh Steelers runs the ball ahead of Jaelan Phillips of the Miami Dolphins on October 23, 2022.
Pittsburgh Steelers rookie quarterback Kenny Pickett may be just four games in to his NFL career, but fans, media and analysts are already working hard to try to define and label him. That includes the analysts at Pro Football Focus (PFF), who have given him a 64.5 grade through Week 7, but also call him “an awkward player to evaluate,” as PFF’s Sam Monson puts it.
“He offers more to the Steelers’ offense than Mitchell Trubisky and can execute important plays that move the chains, but he has a tendency to make bad mistakes and turn the ball over, which undoes much of the good work,” notes Monson. “Against Miami, Pickett had multiple chances to lead the comeback, but cost his team with those turnover miscues,” which have at least one member of the media comparing Pickett to “a young Eli Manning.”
Complicating the challenge of evaluating Pickett is that the talent that surrounds him has been average — at best.
PFF Ranks Pittsburgh’s O-Line as 21st-Best in the NFL
At the root of the problem is the team’s offensive line, which PFF ranks 21st in the league, down two spots from a week earlier.
“Miami’s pass rush overwhelmed Pittsburgh’s line in Week 7, with three of the starters earning PFF pass-blocking game grades in the 40s,” offers Monson. “No member of the line has allowed more than 15 pressures this season, but they have a tipping point where they are overmatched against good pass-rush units.”
PFF: Steelers WRs Have ‘Incredibly High’ Ceiling, Lack Consistency
Meanwhile, PFF sees Pittsburgh’s wide receivers as having underachieved this season.
“This is one of the most physically gifted wide receiver corps in the league, but it lacks consistency,” writes PFF in its Week 8 wide receiver rankings.
“(Diontae) Johnson continues to struggle with drops, and (Chase) Claypool can’t be relied on to be in the right spot at the right time. The Steelers’ best receiver this season has been (George) Pickens, but he is still a rookie and has a relatively limited route tree. This unit has to start playing more consistently to be considered a top-10 unit, although the ceiling is incredibly high.”
Former Steelers LB, ‘Wasted Draft Pick’ Buddy Johnson Visits Texans
In other news, former Steelers inside linebacker Buddy Johnson visited the Houston Texans on Wednesday, this according to Aaron Wilson of Pro Football Network.
Former Steelers and Aggies linebacker Buddy Johnson visited Texans
Johnson, 23, was selected by the Steelers in the fourth round of the 2021 draft out of Texas A&M (No. 140 overall). He appeared in four games as a rookie and was credited with two tackles. But he was waived during the final round of roster cuts this past August, which prompted countless Steelers fans to refer to him as a “wasted draft pick.”
Less than a week later, he joined the practice squad of the San Francisco 49ers, where he remained until he was released on Oct. 18.
Quentin Lake Returns to Practice for the Rams
Meanwhile, the son of former Steelers safety Carnell Lake could be making his NFL debut soon. On Wednesday, Quentin Lake, a defensive back out of UCLA, practiced with his Los Angeles Rams teammates for the first time since training camp, when he was placed on the Physically Unable to Perform list because of a lower leg issue.
Lake was selected in the sixth round of this year’s draft (No. 211 overall), three picks after the Steelers drafted Connor Heyward, the younger brother of Steelers All-Pro Cam Heyward.