Redshirt year mentioned as 'worst-case projection' for Steelers rookie Kenny Pickett

Don't look now, but Pittsburgh Steelers rookie quarterback Kenny Pickett may be closing the gap in the competition involving free-agent signing Mitchell Trubisky that Trubisky allegedly won as far back as this past spring and as recently as last week. 

Pickett has now impressed in back-to-back exhibition matchups ahead of this coming Sunday's preseason finale versus the Detroit Lions. Most recently, the 24-year-old completed six-of-seven passes for 76 yards and a touchdown in this past Saturday's 16-15 win at the Jacksonville Jaguars. 

"I think, essentially, as soon as Mitchell Trubisky has a stumble early in the season, that will open the door to get to Kenny Pickett and give Pittsburgh a chance to go to the quarterback that seems to get better at practice every single day, that seems to impress them more and more all the time, that seems to be, to use the words that I've heard over and over, 'coming on,'" ESPN's Adam Schefter reported on Monday. 

NFL Media's Daniel Jeremiah isn't so sure, as he referred to Pickett eventually becoming Pittsburgh's QB1 this fall as the "best-case scenario" for the first-year pro on Tuesday.  

"Pickett wins the starting job early in the season and efficiently operates a balanced offense. He uses his athleticism to overcome shaky offensive line play and helps the Steelers return to the postseason," Jeremiah wrote of such a potential situation. 

Jeremiah did add a rather optimistic outlook regarding the supposed "worst-case scenario" for Pickett's rookie campaign. 

"If Mitchell Trubisky wins the job entering the season and plays well, 2022 could end up being a redshirt year for Pickett," Jeremiah said. "That wouldn’t be a terrible thing because it would mean the offense is performing, and it would provide the Steelers with another offseason to upgrade the O-line before thrusting Pickett into the mix." 

That final point is important. For a different piece published Tuesday morning, Tim Benz of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review noted that Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin offered direct and honest criticism of his team's shaky offensive line coming off the Jacksonville contest. 

"The best thing for the Steelers to do may be to scheme around the problem," Benz wrote of those tasked with protecting Trubisky and/or Pickett. Pittsburgh may not wish to do that with a rookie under center until the second half of the upcoming season, if at all.