The Pittsburgh Steelers did not stay out of the headlines throughout the 2024 offseason. As training camp is a couple weeks away, all eyes will be on the new quarterbacks in the Steel City. Russell Wilson is expected to be the starter, but Justin Fields is looking to prove his worth in his fresh start. The arrival of the new signal-callers was mainly due to the fact that 2022 first-round pick Kenny Pickett was either injured or underperforming during the majority of his time with the organization. He was traded to the Philadelphia Eagles shortly after Wilson signed a one-year deal.
It was reported that Pickett was unhappy about Wilson being signed and was looking for a fresh start. In all fairness, he spent his entire time in Pittsburgh with Matt Canada calling the plays, and then when he finally wasn't, the quarterback was injured and then benched for Mason Rudolph. Pickett got closer to his home state of New Jersey and will now backup Jalen Hurts.
In a recent piece published by The Philadelphia Inquirer, reporter Ben Istvan spoke with Pickett and the signal-caller was very clear about where he currently stands. Despite the fact that he is entering his third season and already on a second team, he made it known that he is happy about where he ended up and looks at the positives of the situation.
“Change is a great thing. I’m going through it right now," Pickett said per Istvan. "I was in Pittsburgh for seven years and now I’m over in Philadelphia... I think a lot of people probably have some negative views on change, but that’s really just your outlook on it. I think if you keep a positive mindset, it’ll all work out for the better.”
Sure, change can be a good thing and it's fair to note that Pickett didn't get a fair shake in Pittsburgh, but it's hard to argue against the fact that his career is in better shape with the Eagles. He is sitting behind a formidable starter on a long-term deal, while he could have tried to compete with Wilson and at worst, learn from him for a year or so with the Steelers.
Time will tell which side ended up getting the better end of the deal. Pickett might get an opportunity to prove himself in what can be considered a better offensive system than he had in Pittsburgh. That would mean Hurts goes down with an injury, but overall, he won't get the chance just if Hurts plays a couple of bad games throughout the season.
With the Steelers, Wilson performing poorly could lead to Fields getting the nod at some point. Pickett clearly wanted to be out of Pittsburgh enough to accept a surefire backup role instead of potentially getting the chance to lead the Steelers' offense once again. It seems as if the University of Pittsburgh product is content with his decision to want out of the Steel City.
Pickett has first-round talent, but may not have the opportunity to show the NFL world that. It is very possible that he ends up as a second-stringer for the majority of his career, unless a unique situation presents itself.
Steelers Made Right Decision By Trading Pickett
Teams need strong quarterback play to win in today's NFL. Pittsburgh simply didn't get that from Pickett. The decision to move on and bring in fresh faces should bode well, but Pickett still had the bad break with Canada and injuries. It will be interesting to see in time if change is indeed great for Pickett, or if he was wrong to request out of the city that drafted him.
