The Pittsburgh Publish-Gazette’s Gerry Dulac revealed some worrisome information in regards to the state of the Steelers locker room. Pittsburgh would not have a clear-cut No. 1 quarterback.
“There seems to be some inside division that perhaps Mason Rudolph needs to be the starter,” Dulac mentioned.
And to make issues worse, Dulac additionally revealed that the Steelers “will not be keen on bringing in a quarterback who needs to be a starter.”
Which will come as a shock to some, nonetheless, after workforce president Artwork Rooney II was open to the thought earlier this month.
“Properly, you already know, as we sit right here early February, we’re not closing the door on something,” Rooney II said. “We have now a whole lot of evaluations to undergo and we’ll undergo all of the choices and do what we have to do to be higher this coming season.”
But when that’s now not the case, NBC Sports activities’ Peter King thinks Pittsburgh is making an enormous mistake.
“Come once more? In a division with Joe Burrow, Lamar Jackson and Deshaun Watson, the Steelers would really select to enter camp with Kenny Pickett and Mason Rudolph (ought to he sign up free company with Pittsburgh),” King writes. “That appears like a colossal misjudgment of your quarterback place.”
King makes level. Pickett has thrown simply 13 touchdowns and 13 interceptions in 25 video games. And though Rudolph completed the 12 months robust, passing for 945 yards, 5 touchdowns and one interception within the Steelers’ last 4 video games, it is fairly clear what his ceiling is.
It nonetheless feels doubtless that Rudolph will select to have a recent begin elsewhere, however that does not imply Pittsburgh ought to run it again with Pickett and another veteran backup both.
The Steelers have a proficient roster outdoors of the place and they’re heading into an offseason with a number of good choices. Veteran quarterbacks Kirk Cousins, Russell Wilson and Justin Fields will all reportedly be obtainable whereas the 2024 NFL Draft can be wealthy with quarterback expertise.
This is not to say Pittsburgh’s 2024 season can be a failure if Pickett returns because the workforce’s starter. Head coach Mike Tomlin will all the time have his workforce contending for the playoffs.
However the Steelers have not gained a playoff sport since 2016 or contended for a Tremendous Bowl in over a decade. And that will not change with no change at quarterback.