The Pittsburgh Steelers have one quarterback on the current roster who is under contract for the 2024 season. Mitch Trubisky has been released. Mason Rudolph is a free agent. That leaves the 2022 first-round draft pick, Kenny Pickett. Omar Khan, Mike Tomlin, and Art Rooney II have a big decision about who will join or possibly rejoin the roster to compete with Pickett for leading Arthur Smith's new offense in 2024. It is a decision that they have to get right.
Schefter: Steelers' Mike Tomlin Is Absolutely "A Big Fan Of Justin Fields"
The rumor mill is swirling rapidly. Adam Schefter reported that the Steelers are eyeing Justin Fields to fuel an already raging social media argument about his ability to lead the black and gold. It is a debate that has split Steeler Nation into several factions. Some are fans of signing a veteran quarterback in their mid to late 30s, like Russell Wilson, Ryan Tannehill, or Kirk Cousins, while others strongly advocate for Rudolph's return.
A vocal contingent also wants Pickett to get another chance with a competent offensive coordinator. That faction has found a strong ally in CBS Sports' Aditi Kinkhabwala. She joined The PM Team w/Poni & Mueller for her weekly appearance on the 93.7 The Fan afternoon program. The CBS Sports sideline reporter had some harsh words for the idea of importing Fields from the Chicago Bears.
"If Justin Fields was the be-all-end-all answer and most definitely a future Hall of Fame quarterback, why would Chicago be willing to move on from him?"
The anti-Fields faction on social media has espoused this argument repeatedly. It is worth noting that Fields has one more season under his belt, including a 1,000-yard rushing season as a quarterback, and is one year younger than Pickett. There are issues with both players, but when Andrew Fillipponi asked who was the better fit in Smith's offense, Kinkhabwala did not mince words.
"Meaning Justin Fields or Kenny Pickett? I think that Arthur Smith is a lot more flexible than you are giving him credit for," Kinkhabwala replied. "I think he has this position because he can play to the player's strengths. I think Kenny is a great fit. I really, really think that this is a really good pairing. I said that from the very beginning to you."
Pittsburgh is in a quandary when it comes to the quarterback position. Smith's best seasons running an offense came with Tannehill, a former college wide receiver who was a threat to run in boot action. Pickett possesses good mobility and could thrive in a system with more straightforward reads, but he is injury-prone. Pickett has left 20 percent of his NFL starts due to injury, and consistent availability is a genuine concern for the Steelers.
There is no debating that Fields is the better runner and more durable, but he may elect to run too often if given the opportunity. The fact is that Fields is 10-28 as a starter in the NFL, and he has thrown 30 interceptions in three seasons. He has fumbled the ball 38 times, but the Bears recovered 25. In 38 career starts, Fields has passed and ran for 54 touchdowns versus a total of 43 turnovers. In his first three seasons in the NFL, Ben Roethlisberger passed and ran for 58 touchdowns and turned the ball over 44 times.
"It was such a big deal last week, Comeback Player of the Year; with all due respect to Damar Hamlin, for me, Baker Mayfield was the Comeback Player of the Year," Kinkhabwala continued. "He was so written off. He got into an organization that, top down, was run in a way that was classy, what he wanted. He got into an offense that made a lot of sense. Baker had a great year, and this was a guy who everyone had given up on."
Fillipponi quickly pointed out that comparing Baker Mayfield, who had a measure of success for the Cleveland Browns before they moved on to Deshaun Watson, was comparing apples to oranges. Pickett has won a lot of one-score games, but has not demonstrated a superior ability to throw the football during his first two seasons. Kinkhabwala insisted that the new offensive coordinator and the Steelers are sold on Pickett as the best option for 2024.
"Arthur Smith wouldn't have gotten the job if they didn't feel that way," Kinkhabwala concluded. "I do think that there are multiple pieces to this puzzle. If they were ready to just give up and move on from Kenny Pickett, I don't know that you're hiring the same person. Arthur Smith fits the philosophy of how the Steelers want to play offense and also fits the quarterback that the Steelers felt really fit them. The organization is not ready to just wash their hands and give up."
The truth is if an obvious upgrade were available, the Steelers would probably consider it. It is also very likely, as Kinkhabwala posits, that Tomlin and Smith are committed to Pickett running the offense in 2024. The Steelers moved very quickly to hire Smith. He was the first candidate they interviewed that met Tomlin's stated criteria.
Fields is a gamble that will cost over $25 million for two seasons. It is a bargain for a quarterback in 2024, but it is still a risk. If the Steelers are not convinced that Fields is a meaningful upgrade, gambling on Pickett for one more season at a much lower cap hit makes fiscal sense. It is absolutely possible that the light turns on for the third-year quarterback in an NFL-caliber offense.
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