No one outside of the Pittsburgh Steelers' inner circle truly has any clue what the organization is planning to do with the quarterback position in 2024. All signs point to Kenny Pickett receiving one final chance to prove he can be the future for the franchise at the position, but Mason Rudolph's solid play at the end of the 2023 campaign has made plenty of fans think that change needs to be made without Pickett getting a fair shake alongside a play-caller not named Matt Canada. Speculation has been running wild since the team lost to the Buffalo Bills in the Wild Card Round.
The expectation is that the Steelers will attempt to re-sign Rudolph prior to the beginning of free agency in March. Mitchell Trubisky will not be in the 2024 plans, which gives the organization an option to forego a potential signing of Rudolph so bringing in a qualified starter can be justified. Justin Fields is a name that has come up a ton, as well as Super Bowl-winning signal-caller, Russell Wilson.
On Monday, Get Up, a show put on by ESPN, discussed Wilson's possible landing spots. Retired NFL linebacker, Bart Scott, who has never seemed to be a fan of Pittsburgh, made a bold claim that Wilson will only be able to succeed again at the professional level if he finds his way to the Steel City.
"They're a young team. We talk about Arthur Smith being able to run the ball [and] devise a great running game... I think that's the only chance for him," Scott said.
Pittsburgh has rarely gone away from tradition in terms of loyalty and consistency. Bringing in a high-profile name like Wilson would certainly be a big splash for a franchise that is not known for such a move. Wilson has been fantastic throughout his career under center and especially when it comes to the play-action. That's something that Smith loved to do during his time with the Tennessee Titans.
Scott emphasized the Steelers' need for quarterback play that does just enough to get them into the contender conversation. It isn't about finding a superstar in 2024, apparently. Pittsburgh started three different signal-callers in 2023 and still found a route to the playoffs. Scott harped on the need for a guy who can get the job done and be formidable in the playoffs.
"Pittsburgh only needs competent play. With what they had [in 2023], they still was right there for the playoffs."
Head Coach Mike Tomlin catches a lot of criticism, and most of it is deserving due to the organization not winning a playoff game since the 2016 season. It is quite impressive, though, that the team found a way to sneak into the playoffs after a quarterback and offensive coordinator debacle. The team might truly just be a quarterback away from contending for a championship.
The mystery that is the Steelers' quarterback situation will make a lot more sense after the new league year commences in March, but there is no true solution. The franchise has a pick later in the first round and the only younger quarterback potentially available via trade or free agency is Fields. Omar Khan and Tomlin have a lot of important decisions to make and not a lot of time to decide which direction they would like to go.
Steelers Being Spoiled For 18 Seasons Affecting Present Day Plans
Ben Roethlisberger was a home run of a draft selection for Pittsburgh back in 2004. Tomlin had never truly been faced with a big decision regarding the position throughout this tenure with the organization. With the future Hall of Famer retiring in 2021, Pickett was supposed to be the guy. That has come into question, and Tomlin's job as the leader of the storied franchise may be hinging on what happens with the position in 2024.
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