After a strong career at Pittsburgh, QB Kenny Pickett was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft. For the first few weeks in his rookie season, he sat on the bench and painfully watched Mitch Trubisky (who has since been released) lead the offense to a consistent 15 points. Steelers faithful called for Pickett to start, booing Trubisky each time he ran out onto the field. They thought "how could this possibly get worse?"
Well, it did. Kenny Pickett looked bad to say the least, and his injuries did not help. Trubisky would wander his way back onto the field multiple times throughout the next two seasons, and Mason Rudolph even found his way, and looked good. So much so that he would get the start over a medically cleared Pickett in a playoff game.
Still, the Steelers were set on moving forward with Kenny Pickett as their franchise quarterback. With full trust behind him, Pickett moved into the offseason ready to fight.
....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
The Denver Broncos released Quarterback Russell Wilson, gave him permission to meet with other teams, and ate a large chunk of his salary. The Steelers acted quickly, making the first major signing of the offseason in a move that will leave their 3rd year quarteback in the dark. While there may be a small QB competition, Wilson will likely win and Pickett will move into the backup role.
This was a smart move for Pittsburgh. In addittion to getting the service of an experienced veteran, they will be paying under $2 million, while the Broncos eat $38 million in dead cap. It is a low risk decision for a team that has been stuck in the middle for years.
As for Pickett, he still has a chance. Wilson only signed a one year contract, and there is no guarantee that he starts all year long. He has shown in the past 2 seasons that his career is on the decline, hence why he was released. Pickett must continue to work in practice and capitalize on every mistake Russ makes, and if all goes well, he will regain his starting role by the 2025 NFL season.
-Eli Knight
Add comment
Comments