Two years ago, the Pittsburgh Steelers decided to use the No. 20 pick in the 2022 NFL Draft on former University of Pittsburgh quarterback Kenny Pickett.
The hope for the Steelers was that Pickett would eventually follow in the footsteps of Ben Roethlisberger and emerge as the franchise’s next great quarterback.
So far, Pickett’s tenure with Pittsburgh has been underwhelming, to say the least.
Late last season, after recovering from an injury, the Steelers opted to keep him on their bench instead of re-inserting him as their starter over longtime backup Mason Rudolph.
This decision by Pittsburgh caused many to have second thoughts about Pickett as a starting quarterback in the NFL, and recently, ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith supported these thoughts (via First Take on Twitter).
“Kenny Pickett, keep working on your game. I’m not trying to throw you out with bath water. I know that you belong on a roster. I know that you belong wearing a uniform. But you should not be the starting quarterback for the Pittsburgh Steelers at this particular moment in time.”
“Kenny Pickett, keep working on your game. I’m not trying to throw you out with bath water. … But you should not be the starting quarterback for the Pittsburgh Steelers at this particular moment in time.”
—@stephenasmith on Pittsburgh’s QB situation pic.twitter.com/Bwmc5VXany
— First Take (@FirstTake) March 1, 2024
While harsh, it’s hard to argue with anything that Smith said.
Pickett has started a combined 24 games for the Steelers during the last two seasons, and he’s thrown a grand total of 13 touchdowns.
In comparison, Joe Flacco threw 13 touchdowns in only five starts as the quarterback of the Cleveland Browns this past season.
Due to the poor start that Pickett has had to his pro career, Pittsburgh has been mentioned as a landing spot for a number of different veteran quarterbacks this offseason.
Some believe they should make a trade to acquire Justin Fields from the Chicago Bears, while others think they should pursue Kirk Cousins in free agency.
Whoever the Steelers decide to be their starting signal-caller for next season, it’s clear that some believe rolling with Pickett again would be the wrong choice.
The post Stephen A. Smith Has A Harsh Message For Kenny Pickett appeared first on The Cold Wire.