Analyst: Steelers Should've Kept Kenny Pickett

An NFL analyst believes the Pittsburgh Steelers should have stuck with Pickett at quarterback.

Aug 15, 2024; Foxborough, MA, USA; Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Kenny Pickett (7) looks to pass the ball during the first half against the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-USA TODAY Sports / Eric Canha-USA TODAY Sports

PITTSBURGH -- The Pittsburgh Steelers made a bevy of moves at quarterback via free agency and the trade market this offseason, but one NFL analyst believes the team should've held on to their previous starter at the position.

FOX Sports Radio's Ben Maller didn't pull any punches in his assessment of Kenny Pickett, essentially stating that he's been awful throughout his two-year career up to this point, but he doesn't believe Russell Wilson represents a viable solution for the Steelers either.

"Steelers are gonna be the same as they have been," Maller said. "It's not gonna be any better with Russell Wilson. They should've kept Kenny Pickett, who also stinks. Pickett's terrible."

The Steelers selected Kenny Pickett with the No. 20 pick in the first-round of the 2022 NFL Draft. He threw for 261 yards and three touchdowns with no interceptions in his first preseason before losing out on the starting job to Mitch Trubisky.

Pickett later replaced Trubisky in the second half of Pittsburgh's Week 4 game against the New York Jets and threw three interceptions in a 24-20 loss. Head coach Mike Tomlin officially named him the starter leading into Week 5, a game in which he tallied 327 yards in a 38-3 loss to the Buffalo Bills.

The Pitt product finished his rookie campaign with seven touchdowns and nine interceptions across 12 starts as the Steelers fell just short of the playoffs with a 9-8 record after winning seven of their final nine games.

Pickett was the undisputed starter out of training camp in 2023, and he only helped himself by going 13-for-15 on 199 yards and two touchdowns in the preseason. Pittsburgh jumped out to a 7-4 record in the regular season, though he underwent surgery after suffering an ankle injury in the team's Week 13 loss to the Arizona Cardinals, marking his last appearance in the black and gold.

Pickett became expendable after the Steelers finished among the bottom-10 in the league in both points and yards per game last season while Mason Rudolph took hold of the starting job in his absence and led the team into the playoffs.

Shortly after signing Wilson to a one-year deal, Pickett was dealt to the Philadelphia Eagles along with a fourth-round pick in exchange for a third-rounder and a pair of seventh-round picks. He has appeared in both of the Eagles' preseason games this year and is battling Tanner McKee for the backup job behind Jalen Hurts.

While both Wilson and Justin Fields have a lot to prove ahead of the regular season in order for optimism to be restored in Pittsburgh's offense, Pickett was likely never a realistic option to stick around, and a change of scenery was desperately needed for the young signal caller as he looks to restore his career in Philadelphia.

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