There's been a lot of talk about the Steelers' quarterback position since their season ended, and all of the rumors have run amok on social media since the NFL season came to a conclusion with Super Bowl LVIII a week ago.
In light of this past week being a never-ending storm of rumors, here are a few thoughts founded in reality, not fantasy or my personal feelings/opinion of how the team should address the position:
• The Steelers are 100% committed to Kenny Pickett. That doesn't mean he is the unquestioned starter. That doesn't mean he's been granted some sort of Survivor-esque immunity. But, the team's preference would be for Pickett to be the starter. That doesn't require insider reporting to figure out, only common sense.
Mike Tomlin and Art Rooney II have both been forthright about their faith in Pickett. What they've said publicly can't just be tossed aside.
"I feel stronger about some of the intangible things than I did when we first started doing business with him because I have evidence of it," Tomlin said of Pickett during his end-of-season press conference. "He's highly competitive and professional. He doesn't run from challenges; he runs to challenges. I think that's evident in the way he plays particularly at the end of close football games. He's got good framework to work with and for a young guy he's mature beyond his years. I'm excited about him. ... Certainly it's a big year for him. We met this morning and we acknowledged that. It is a huge year for him. But I'm also about watching him wear that component of it because I know how he's wired and built and I'm excited about watching him attack it."
"We still feel good about Kenny Pickett and his future," Rooney told reporters during his annual end-of-season meeting with select reporters. "But he knows he needs to work hard to take the next step. We've talked about that. One of the things we liked about Kenny and his career at Pitt was how hard he worked and how he took a step every year. We're looking for that to happen here."
Also, let's not forget that Pickett was this franchise's first-round pick in 2022. Of course they would prefer that pick to not be a bust. If Pickett takes a significant leap in Year 3, that's not only the path of least resistance for the Steelers getting quality play at quarterback, but also a win for all parties involved.
However, the Steelers aren't blindly giving Pickett the reins to the offense. If whoever is added to that room gives them a better chance to win, Tomlin will go with that guy. He proved that last year, which brings me to ...
• The Steelers' preferred addition to the quarterback room is Mason Rudolph. If the Steelers had it their way, they would have Pickett and Rudolph as the two quarterbacks atop the depth chart, competing for the starting job in training camp.
The Steelers are not going to dismiss what Rudolph did for this team down the stretch. Rooney made that crystal clear when he said Rudolph "came in and showed, I think, what we're capable of when we do get quality play at the quarterback position."
Rudolph is the perfect addition in their eyes. He presents an option that doesn't immediately supplant Pickett but also gives the Steelers a reliable -- and cheaper -- option should Pickett fail. It's just not guaranteed because Rudolph ultimately decides his fate. He's earned that right with his NFL service time and his play down the stretch.
• Because of these two facts, no, the Steelers will not be acquiring a quarterback that would come in and immediately take over as the starter. That includes Kirk Cousins, Justin Fields, Russell Wilson, Baker Mayfield and others. If the Steelers are committed to Pickett, adding any of those guys makes zero sense.
Again, this doesn't take insider reporting to figure out. Pay attention to the facts, not rumors. The Steelers are a marquee franchise and have to add to their quarterback room. Of course rumors are going to set social media ablaze, and the Steelers will constantly be the center of that attention because, well, it's the Pittsburgh bleepin' Steelers.
Unless Tomlin and Rooney are putting up the ultimate smokescreen, these kind of additions will not be made when free agency opens next month. Just accept it.
Thus, that paves the way for the Steelers to make less flashy additions should Rudolph opt to sign elsewhere. Ryan Tannehill would likely be the most likely candidate in that case, given his current status in the league, his age and his familiarity with new offensive coordinator Arthur Smith.
Should Rudolph and Tannehill sign elsewhere, the Steelers would pursue the likes of Jacoby Brissett, Sam Darnold, Tyrod Taylor, Marcus Mariota, Drew Lock, Gardner Minshew, Tyler Huntley, Joe Flacco, Carson Wentz or perhaps explore a reunion with Josh Dobbs. It just makes sense given the Steelers' preference regarding Pickett.
The only big-name quarterback I could possibly see the Steelers acquiring is Fields, but only if Rudolph and Tannehill sign elsewhere and the price is significantly lower than expected. Like, not including a first- or second-round pick. I don't foresee that happening, so I don't foresee a trade for Fields happening. Again, it flies in the face of everything that's been said.
• To reiterate, these are not my personal feelings on how the Steelers should address the quarterback position. But, it's what I feel is going to happen based on the facts.
Sure, that might lead to some discourse among fans. On paper, the Steelers would have one of the weakest quarterback rooms in the league if it's Pickett, Rudolph and a mid- or late-round draft pick. And, after watching Patrick Mahomes will the Chiefs to their third Super Bowl in five years, that can be disheartening. There's not a lot of confidence that the Steelers stand a chance if and when they have to go toe-to-toe with the likes of Mahomes, Josh Allen, Lamar Jackson, Joe Burrow, Justin Herbert, C.J. Stroud or any of the other uber-talented quarterbacks in the AFC.
The news cycle between the Super Bowl and the Combine is awfully slow. It's this way every year. So, with a little more than a week until the Combine, buckle up for more rumors. Just remember the facts.
