Pittsburgh Steelers: Is Kenny Pickett the perfect solution at quarterback?

Could Pitt signal-caller Kenny Pickett be the perfect Pittsburgh Steelers replacement at quarterback?

The “Big Ben era” has finally come to an end for the Pittsburgh Steelers. During his time in Pittsburgh, Ben Roethlisberger won two Super Bowls, became the 5th all-time leading passer, and played all 18 seasons for the black and gold. Roethlisberger embodied what it meant to be a Steeler from playing through pain and keeping a blue-collar mentality. Roethlisberger’s game spoke for itself and his presence will be missed but never forgotten in the 412.

Now the question is, who will be Roethilsberger’s successor? Speaking for all Pittsburgh Steelers fans there will never be another Ben Roethlisberger, but the quarterback position needs to be filled. Rumors of potential trades for Aaron Rodgers or Russell Wilson make headlines but does not seem to be the Steeler Way. Kevin Colbert, the Steelers GM, also will not be with the team next season along with the QB he drafted in 2004. AColbert will stay with the team until the NFL Draft is over, which means there is a good chance Colbert could help find the next franchise guy for the Pittsburgh Steelers.

The quarterback class for the 2022 NFL Draft is not a deep one like years past. There is a very good chance we do not see a QB go off the board until pick nine, currently held by the Denver Broncos. One guy who has made some noise for himself though is Kenny Pickett, who played in the same stadium as Roethlisberger in college. Pickett, who played for the Pitt Panthers during his time in college, really came onto the scene as a first-round prospect this season and some may argue he’s the best passer in the NFL Draft.

In the 2021-22 College Football season, Kenny Pickett finished third in voting for the Heisman Trophy and won the ACC Championship. Pickett finished with 4,319 yards (over 2,000 yards more than the previous year), 42 touchdowns, and seven interceptions. Pickett displays great decision-making and proved the ability to make big-league throws.

Pickett stands 6-foot-3 and weighs around 220 pounds, which nears the prototypical body type for a quarterback. Pickett has great mechanics to keep his feet and shoulders square and enough athleticism to make improvised throws on the run. Where Pickett thrives in mechanics, he’s also strong between his ears in terms of decision making. The Pittsburgh Steelers had a great decision maker and passer for so long and it could continue with Pickett.

There are a lot of great traits which make Pickett a first-round caliber selection, but there are still some that need improvement. One key area that needs to be worked on before the draft is Pickett’s pocket presence. One of the big knocks on the Pitt QB last season was turnovers which come from poor pocket presence. Pickett needs to work on not getting rattled when pressure comes and then will have a really solid all-around game.

The number one thing that made Ben Roethlisberger so great and beloved in Pittsburgh was he embraced the city. If you play for the Pittsburgh Steelers you know how important the city is to the fans and their teams are a big part of that. Kenny Pickett practiced and played in the Pittsburgh Steelers facilities his whole career in college and knows what the city means to the fans. It seems to make way too much sense for Kenny Pickett to become the next quarterback for the Pittsburgh Steelers.