With the Pittsburgh Steelers' season now officially over, it is time to start looking toward the future. There are many questions that will need to be answered during the offseason to get this organization back on the right track. Probably the biggest question is who the team's head coach is going to be in the 2024 season. Will the Steelers finally walk away from Mike Tomlin? After this, the next biggest question is what do you do with the quarterback position?
CBS Sports
Steelers QB Mason Rudolph and Mike Tomlin.
The Steelers will have many options for their quarterback in the 2024 season. One thing they could do is bring back Mason Rudolph who will be a free agent this offseason. Since he took over as the starter, he's played solid football. Even in the Steelers' devastating loss to the Buffalo Bills, he played well putting up 229 passing yards with two passing touchdowns. He could be getting a decent payday after proving himself at the end of the 2023 season.
The next option is having Kenny Pickett as the starter once again. Knowing the Steelers and the Steelers' way of doing things, they will not want to get rid of a guy that they took a first-round pick on, especially at the quarterback position. Pickett could still very well could be the future of this organization. When the Steelers made the decision to finally fire Matt Canada, Pickett played one of his best games as a Steeler throwing 278 passing yards.
I still think Kenny Pickett is the future. Literally one full game without Matt Canada and it was arguably the best game of his career. And there’s something to all those fourth quarter comebacks he’s had. I think he can build off that, that’s an elite trait to me. Still on his… pic.twitter.com/sq1lzxPFAt
— B-Wall (@BWall) January 5, 2024
The last option that it seems most Steelers fans want to happen is to go out and bring in a fresh face, whether that is through the NFL Draft or free agency. Three names stand out if they look to pick someone up through the free agency. That would be Kirk Cousins, Baker Mayfield, and Russell Wilson (if the Denver Broncos were to cut him). All three of these guys would be brought in if the Steelers think they have a chance to compete now and want a veteran presence leading them in the playoffs.
If they were to look at a quarterback in the draft, they would have many options to look at. Obviously, they aren't going to get someone like Caleb Williams or Drake Maye without trading up to get them, but with where they are at with pick 20, there are going to still be a lot of solid options to choose from. Names like Jayden Daniels, Michael Penix Jr., Bo Nix, and J.J. McCarthy all could fall onto the Steelers' laps and could be the replacement they've been looking for.
Jordan Schofield / SteelerNation (Twitter / X: @JSKO_PHOTO)
Steelers quarterback, Kenny Pickett (#8) runs out of the tunnel at Acrisure Stadium prior to a 2022 regular season matchup against the Baltimore Ravens in Pittsburgh, PA.
The NFL has proven time and time again that if you want to be competitive in the league, you have to have an elite quarterback. This is why the Kansas City Chiefs have been so dominant for the last couple of years, because having the league's best quarterback makes up for all the other mistakes that your team makes throughout the season. Former Steelers safety Ryan Clark said it best on NFL on ESPN about where the Steelers currently sit at the quarterback position.
"This team needs to figure out who their quarterback is going to be. You heard him [Mike Tomlin] answer questions about Mason Rudolph and it's good to have a guy that is competitive, and it is good to have a guy that you can believe in, but when you're looking at the other sideline and their quarterback is Josh Allen, it kind of shows you that you don't have what it takes at the position."
If the Steelers want to compete and be a playoff-winning team, change needs to happen - so that when they go up against someone like Josh Allen, they can throw a punch back and have a quarterback who is on the same level as him. Until that happens, it is going to be really difficult for the Steelers to compete against teams like the Bills and the Chiefs.
"If you look at this team, I believe a quarterback is next and then you fill out this roster around him. Without the guy pulling the trigger that has the talent to go up against the Mahomes and the Joe Burrows, and now even the CJ Strouds and Lamar Jacksons, you can't win in the AFC," Clark explained.
Change is going to have to come in the city of Pittsburgh whether it is with the coaches, or getting a new quarterback, something has to happen this offseason. They need to get back the energy that they once had when Ben Roethlisberger was quarterback and get themselves a seventh Super Bowl.
Matthew Sunday
Pittsburgh Steelers quarterbacks Ben Roethlisberger (#7) and Mason Rudolph (#2) stand on the field during training camp.
When next season comes around and the Steelers are getting ready for OTAs, hopefully there will be some exciting fresh faces for Steeler Nation to become fans of, with one of them possibly being a new quarterback.
What do you think though? Will there be a change at the quarterback position this offseason? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below!
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