The Pittsburgh Steelers are constantly recognized as one of the most loyal organizations in all of sports. Any franchise that has employed only three head coaches since 1969 rightfully earns that reputation. The dedication to keeping familiar faces around has expanded in the 21st century to more than just the coaching staff. The franchise seems set on keeping players around for the entirety of their rookie contracts, given the low cost and desire to draft and develop players. That developmental piece came to an end for punter Pressley Harvin III on Monday when the team announced that he was released.
Harvin's tenure in Pittsburgh was far from impressive. He showed flashes of being great in several preseason appearances, but it never translated to the games that mattered most. Head Coach Mike Tomlin was not pleased with how he played down the stretch in 2023, so the announcement of his release should not come as too much of a surprise, even though he still had one more year remaining on his rookie contract.
Why Harvin's Release Could Be Telling For Kenny Pickett
While there are monumental differences surrounding the importance of a punter versus quarterback, Kenny Pickett should take the release of Harvin as a bit of a wake-up call. The 2022 first-round pick is stuck with 13 touchdowns and the same amount of interceptions in his two-year career. He has suffered several injuries and won't be guaranteed to start all 17 games in 2024.
Mason Rudolph was a better option at the end of the 2023 season and while he may not return in 2024, Pickett isn't going to be handed the starting job. The Steelers were willing to move on from an inexpensive former seventh-round pick in lieu of his poor play, so they would absolutely be open to doing the same with Pickett in 2025 when they have to decide to pick up his fifth-year option or not.
Pittsburgh might as well give up on Pickett all together in 2025 if he does not live up to expectations in Arthur Smith's new offense. The careers of TJ Watt and Minkah Fitzpatrick, along with the investment that went into the two them, are quickly going to waste because of an incompetent offense. The Steelers can't afford to sit back and hope Pickett has a miraculous turn around if his third year is underwhelming.
The Steelers have already made plenty of moves early on in the 2024 offseason and while Pickett is expected to get a chance to prove his worth with Smith calling the plays, he is going to have to show the organization a lot if he wants to potentially earn a second contract and/or have his fifth-year option picked up for 2026. Patience ran thin with Harvin, and as crucial as the quarterback position is, Pickett could experience the same fate if he isn't a huge piece of the team's success going forward.
There's no telling what the true thought is about the signal-caller behind closed doors. Rudolph playing as well as he did when given the chance had to have executives in the building wondering if the Steelers would have made the postseason had Pickett been starting. The 2022 first-rounder did play well following the firing of Matt Canada, but the small sample size is not enough to get excited about just yet.
Steelers Will Be Adding External Quarterbacks In 2024
Rudolph will have the ability to sign elsewhere if he so chooses. That leaves Pickett as the lone signal-caller entering the league's new year in March. Even if Rudolph does return, there will be more additions to the room. Pittsburgh has to do everything in its power to force Pickett to play at the highest level possible. If he continues to be merely average, he could be traded or moved on from in 2025.
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