What should not be lost in all these free agency signings is the total ineptness of the Pittsburgh Steelers’ handling of the quarterback position. Not having a plan at the most vital position on the playing field is a recipe for disaster. NFL free agency has dwindled, and just a few player pieces remain that need to fall into place. Teams are filling out ancillary roster positions and will now turn the majority of their attention to next month’s NFL draft. Russell Wilson was one of the last quarterback dominoes to fall, signing a one-year deal with the New York Giants worth up to $21 million. With Wilson heading to the Big Apple, it is guaranteed that the Steelers will have an entirely new quarterback room for the third consecutive year.
The Pittsburgh Steelers’ Front Office Ineptness On Display At Crucial Position
Pittsburgh Steelers Had No Succession Plan After Ben Roethlisberger Retired
At the tail end of Roethlisberger’s career, the Steelers simply had no plan or did not execute a plan to replace him. We have seen the Green Bay Packers, you could argue, flawlessly, show how to properly execute a quarterback succession plan. The Packers went from Brett Farve to Aaron Rodgers to now Jordan Love. Some may argue they wrote the blueprint on it.
The Pittsburgh Steelers are showing how to completely mishandle the quarterback position on an NFL roster. The 2024 season will mark the third consecutive year the Steelers’ quarterback depth chart will have 100% turnover. Last season, it was Russell Wilson, Justin Fields, and Kyle Allen. The year prior was Kenny Pickett-Mitch Trubisly-Mason Rudolph. Moving into 2025, the Steelers currently sit with Mason Rudolph and Skylar Thompson.
Back in 2018, when Pittsburgh drafted Mason Rudolph in the third round, they thought they had their guy. The Steelers had a first-round grade on Rudolph and viewed him, at the time, as Big Ben’s heir apparent. That did not work as Rudolph played just 23 games with Pittsburgh, passing for 3,085 yards with 19 touchdowns and 11 interceptions.
Steelers Failed At Using The Rookie Quarterback Window
In 2022, the Steelers used a first-round pick on Kenny Pickett and thrust him into the starting lineup during his rookie year. Pickett struggled during his tenure as the Steelers’ starter. He was greatly hindered by the archaic playcalling and the offensive philosophy of then-coordinator Matt Canada. Pickett was not great as the Steelers’ signal caller, his passing numbers were pedestrian at best. In 25 games played, he averaged just 179 yards passing and 6.3 yards per attempt. Pittsburgh then sabotaged any chance they potentially had with Pickett, acquiring both Wilson and Justin Fields. Pickett, rumored to be upset, was then traded to the Philadelphia Eagles.
Known across NFL front office circles that hitting on a rookie quarterback is a key cog in winning a championship. It is hugely advantageous for a team to be able to construct a roster with a starting quarterback on a rookie deal. It allows the coach and general manager to spend at other positions. Pittsburgh failed to execute on this type of succession plan as well.
What Is The Pittsburgh Steelers’ Current Plan At Quarterback
Questions remain at quarterback for the Steelers, and they now hope Aaron Rodgers ends up the answer. Rumors go back and forth about a deal or verbal agreement potentially in place with the former four-time MVP. However, in typical Rodgers fashion, he has decided to draw it out. Additionally, do not rule out the Minnesota Vikings signing Rodgers, because they have not firmly declared J.J. McCarthy their QB1 for 2025. Mason Rudolph could very well be the Steelers’ starting quarterback for next season, further accentuating the Steelers’ ineptness. The Steelers front office and coaching staff are writing the book on how to fail at the quarterback succession plan.
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