Steelers Have Perfect Opportunity To Give Mike Tomlin A Promising Prospect To Develop At QB3 With Low Risk

The Pittsburgh Steelers have addressed almost every positional need throughout the 2023 offseason. One of the few areas of the depth chart that remains in question is oddly at third-string quarterback. Some still believe that Mason Rudolph may be back, but the team also brought in undrafted free agent, Tanner Morgan out of the University of Minnesota. Pittsburgh has a historic trend of keeping tabs on players whom were of interest in the pre-draft process and there is a guy who could potentially be available to sign before the 2023 season. The team's 2022 first-round pick, Kenny Pickett was selected in favor of him.

The Tennessee Titans may have indirectly let 2022 third-round pick, Malik Willis know that his time in the Music City could be a lot shorter than he or anyone else expected. Willis, who was talked on and off about potentially being a first round pick in 2022, couldn't have been encouraged by what his team did in 2023. The organization traded up in the second round of the 2023 NFL Draft to select University of Kentucky signal-caller, Will Levis, who fell all the way out of round one.

Ryan Tannehill and Levis are expected to be the top two guys on the depth chart and according to recent reports, Willis may end up being cut before the season even begins after completing less than 51% of his passing and having no touchdowns, but three interceptions in eight games played in 2022. 

It's hard to imagine the Titans completely giving up on him this soon, but it's difficult to try and fully develop two different young quarterbacks at one time. The hard decision could need to be made with Tennessee favoring Levis. There could be several teams interested in singing Willis afterwards and the Steelers should be one of them if the release does end up happening.

Steelers Still Have No Answer At QB3

It'd be rather shocking if Pittsburgh doesn't decide to bring in more talent in the quarterback room with all due respect to Morgan. At this time, it's probably more likely that the organization looks to bring in another veteran to help mold Pickett into a franchise-altering player. Willis coming in leads to the same dilemma in Tennessee as the team would be working with two young signal-callers, but it's a much different situation.

Everyone in the league knows that Pickett is the guy for the Steelers and is expected to be for some time, but a lot were looking for the organization to draft a quarterback later in the seventh round in 2023. They went with an undrafted free agent instead, but if a player who the franchise had clear interest in back in 2022 becomes available so soon, it'd be smart to take a flier on him.

Backup quarterback, Mitch Trubisky is only set to be on the team for one more season and there isn't much of a plan after that in regards to a long-term backup for Pickett. Willis very well may be Josh Rosen 2.0, but if there's anything at all that the Steelers' front office liked about him during the pre-draft process in 2022, reaching out if he's released shouldn't be off the table.

Willis will get a chance to rejuvenate his career somewhere if he is released by the Titans. The Steelers may not be the perfect fit, but having the two players who the organization probably had at the top of their quarterback draft board in 2022 on the same team a year later would be pretty unheard of. Head Coach Mike Tomlin might just end up making the call if Willis is looking for a new home in the summer of 2023.

Would you want Willis to come in as the third-string quarterback? Let us know in the comments below!

#SteelerNation