Steelers Are Doomed To Waste Away In NFL Purgatory Without The Right Quarterback

The Pittsburgh Steelers are a talented team with a future Hall of Fame head coach, but they can't seem to get back to their elite, contending ways. While Mason Rudolph gave the 2023 season a better ending than many expected, it will take some work for that momentum to carry over into 2024. With all the potential the Steelers have on their roster, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN sees Pittsburgh as being one smart move away from challenging for the upper tier of the league again.

Steelers Are A Quarterback Away From Contending

Whether it's George Pickens, Najee Harris or Broderick Jones, the Steelers have plenty of young talent to work with on offense. Under center, however, the Steelers saw a game of musical chairs being played out during the 2023 campaign. Rudolph turned out to be the spark that sent the Steelers on their three-game winning streak to earn a playoff berth. There is no guarantee that Rudolph will be back in Pittsburgh for the 2024 season, leaving a hole they have to fill with a competent replacement.

Even with the Matt Canada debacle holding back the entire offense, it was apparent that the 2023 Steelers were missing a very important piece of the puzzle. That was confirmed when Rudolph's aggressive play became the catalyst the entire team needed. Fowler believes that if the Steelers want to be among the best of the best again, all they need is to find the right quarterback.

"Is there a more 'we're a quarterback away' team than Pittsburgh? The Steelers have just about everything they need, from ample skill players to an improving offensive line and three legitimate, game-changing stars on defense. A quarterback can tie it all together. At the very least, the Steelers will apply pressure on incumbent Kenny Pickett with a quarterback acquisition via trade or free agency."

With the Steelers being linked to such names as Russell Wilson, Kirk Cousins and Justin Fields, it would seem that the organization is at least mildly aware of their quarterback situation. The prospect of going through another season where Kenny Pickett isn't challenged enough to get past his current subpar ceiling is not an attractive one for Steelers' fans. The best-case scenario is that Pickett excels through a quarterback competition and proves the pick right, but that is still up in the air.

Pittsburgh presents a legitimate landing spot for either a veteran or a younger passer with something to prove, but the Steelers have to find the right quarterback for the job. Pickens and Diontae Johnson offer excellent receiver options for whoever is throwing them passes. The Steelers don't need someone like Patrick Mahomes to carry them; they just need someone who won't lose the game in the process.

Steelers Can Surround Their Quarterback With More Than Just Potential

While it can be good to hear about the amount of potential within a team, it's much more preferable for that talent to be realized. Rookies who contributed during the 2023 season, like Jones or Joey Porter Jr., proved that they bring quite a bit to the table already. Whoever the Steelers bring in to challenge Pickett at quarterback won't be carrying the load all alone, and that could be a tempting notion for prospective options.

The reality that the Steelers find themselves in is one that cannot allow for another quarterback year like 2023 was. Granted, the Canada-led offense was stagnant at the best of times, but the output from second-year quarterback Pickett fell far below the bar. That isn't to say Pickett doesn't have another level to his game, but the Pittsburgh offense has yet to feel those benefits. A challenger like Fields or Cousins could be what Pickett needs to reach that higher level.

Ben Roethlisberger had an amazing supporting cast when he began his career sooner than expected in 2004, and the 2024 Steelers have many of the same attributes. Harris and an improving, hungry offensive line are two huge selling points for any quarterback the Steelers may be targeting. If Pickett can't find his game with everything the Steelers are giving him to succeed, then even with a first-round investment, Pittsburgh may already know the right answer. Pittsburgh will give Pickett the chance to succeed, but what that looks like is yet to be determined.

What three quarterbacks do you want on the Steelers roster for the 2024 season? 

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