Minicamp has begun, and the Pittsburgh Steelers, like the rest of the NFL, are gearing up for what is shaping up to be an exciting season. The Steelers have a lot of questions this off-season, and none are more pressing than those surrounding the quarterback position.
The Pittsburgh Steelers will be looking for their next franchise QB after 18 seasons of Hall of Fame play from Ben Roethlisberger. In Kenny Pickett, I believe they got that this year in the draft. He has the potential to be the franchise QB for the Steelers.
Here's why I believe he should start as early as Week 1:
Pickett is "Pro-Ready"
The most important aspect of Pickett's game was his preparedness to join a team and perform effectively from the time he stepped onto the field. Staying an extra year in college helped him grow into a more promising prospect. Joe Burrow was a perfect example of a player who stayed an extra year and was deemed pro-ready.
Now, I'm not saying he'll have the same impact on the Cincinnati Bengals as Burrow did. There's a reason he was chosen first overall, while Pickett was chosen 20th. However, this demonstrates that players that follow Pickett's path are more likely to succeed in this league fast.
Photo via Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
The Steelers future is with Kenny Pickett
Another reason I believe he should start in Week 1 is that he is going to be the guy moving forward. As I previously stated, the Steelers drafted Pickett with the goal of him becoming the franchise's future quarterback. Why not start him Week 1 if he's going to be the guy? Yes, he'll go through some growing pains and make some rookie blunders, but at the end of the day, that's all part of the process. Why not simply take off the Band-Aid and get those difficulties out of the way early in the season instead of having to deal with them later in the season.
There's also the argument that he shouldn't start the first week. You may argue that putting him in the field so early in his career will harm his development, or that he is simply not ready to begin his first year. All of these are valid points, but I don't believe the Steelers selected Pickett solely to wait behind Mitch Trubisky for a year. If that was the case, they would have gone with a later-round QB such as Malik Willis or Desmond Ridder. Both quarterbacks aren't ready to start the season, but they have the potential to develop into franchise players.
Photo via Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
To wrap it all up, I believe the Steelers should start Pickett Week 1. Yes, Trubisky has looked excellent in minicamp and, in the short term, he may be the better option. However, the Steelers must place a greater emphasis on the future because let's face it, Trubisky will most likely not be the starting quarterback in a few years. It's better to just stick with Pickett and see what you can get out of him. Kenny Pickett, I believe, gives the Steelers the best chance to win, and he should be the quarterback when they travel to Cincinnati to face the Bengals.
Who should start under center Week 1 for the Steelers? Let us know what you think in the comments section below.
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