The Pittsburgh Steelers enter the 2024 offseason with a lot of questions. They still need to find their next offensive coordinator, address needs defensively and fill holes along the offensive line. Another big topic for the offseason is quarterback play. Mason Rudolph is a free agent who Pittsburgh will try to bring back, and third-year quarterback Kenny Pickett will need to take major leaps to retain his starting job going into the 2024 season. Steelers President Art Rooney II spoke about what he needs to see from Pickett going forward during his end-of-season media session.
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Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Kenny Pickett's health is certainly a concern, but so is his severe lack of passing touchdowns
Steelers' Rooney II Puts All The Pressure On Pickett
Pickett has had an up-and-down start to his NFL career. He has not lit up the stat sheet, but he does have a favorable record of 14-6 in games that he has started and finished. Pickett has faced a lot of ridicule for his lack of passing touchdowns, as he has only thrown 13 through two seasons and 24 starts. Rooney II and the Steelers know that if they want to win in the AFC, they are going to need to see major improvements at the quarterback position in order to see more success.
"We need to do everything we can to make sure we get quality play out of our QB going forward. Kenny needs to work hard to take the next step. One of the things we liked about Kenny out of Pitt is that he took a step every year and we are looking forward to that."
Pickett improved year after year during his college days at Pitt, and he has his best season in 2021 when he led the Panthers to the ACC Championship while throwing for over 4,300 yards and 42 touchdowns, which were both program records for Pitt. Pickett didn't improve much from year one to year two in the NFL, but after the Steelers moved on from Matt Canada during the 2023 season he began to play much better.
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Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Kenny Pickett has battled injuries throughout his short NFL career
The Steelers fired Canada following a Week 11 loss to the Cleveland Browns in which the offense struggled. They then promoted Eddie Faulkner to interim offensive coordinator while Mike Sullivan took over the reigns as the offensive play caller.
Pickett looked much better in the Steelers first game with that duo running the offense, as he had a passer rating of 97.8 and threw for 278 yards. He didn't throw for any touchdowns, but he looked much more comfortable in the offense and was exceptional at utilizing the middle of the field.
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Steelers quarterback, Kenny Pickett (#8) throws a deep ball down the sidelines while warming up for a 2022 matchup.
The following week, Pickett was injured in the second quarter of a game against the Arizona Cardinals. Prior to the injury he had 70 yards passing and a 89.6 passer rating. He injured his ankle while he was diving for the end zone, and he required ankle surgery which kept him out for several weeks. Mitch Trubisky started two games before being benched in favor of Mason Rudolph, who led the Steelers to a 3-0 record and a playoff birth. Rudolph started the last two games of the regular season and the Wild Card game despite Pickett being healthy. Rooney II discussed the organization's intent to bring Rudolph back in free agency.
"Mason Rudolph came in and showed what we're capable of when we do get quality QB play, and we're interested in bringing Mason back."
Going into the 2023 season, Pickett was the Steelers solidified starter. This won't be the case for 2024, Pickett will likely be the starter during the offseason but will certainly face competition at the quarterback position which Mike Tomlin has discussed. Rooney II talked more about a potential quarterback competition in the 2024 offseason.
"We still feel comfortable with Kenny, but we can't discount what Mason did and can't discount the fact that having competition at QB will be good for everybody."
Rudolph played extremely well for Pittsburgh at the end of the 2023 season, and it's likely he will be back in 2024 for a competition with Pickett for the starting job. Pickett has a ton of pressure on his shoulders, as this season will likely decide whether or not he is the future at the quarterback position in Pittsburgh.
The Steelers will also have a decision to make regarding Pickett following the 2024 season. Since he was a first round pick in 2022, the organization gets to decide whether or not to pick up his fifth-year option following his third season. Based on how he has played so far in his career, he will need to have an impeccable year in 2024 to persuade the organization to pick up his option.
Do you think Pickett will take a big enough leap in 2024? Let us know in the comments below!
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