It doesn’t seem like the Pittsburgh Steelers have given up on Kenny Pickett being a starting quarterback. Tom Fornelli of CBS Sports, however, doesn’t seem to agree.
On February 23, Fornelli projected the Steelers to choose Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy in an NFL mock draft.
Fornelli suggested that the Steelers move up to pick nine in the 2024 NFL draft in order to get McCarthy.
Fornelli stated, “The Steelers understand Kenny Pickett isn’t the solution and don’t waste time trying to make things right.” “A run-heavy offense that depends on tight ends and play action is probably what Arthur Smith will bring, and it sounds a lot like the one McCarthy used at Michigan!
McCarthy is a strong arm, a quick learner of defenses, and a skilled enough player to frequently prolong drives with his legs. Here, he would fit right in.
McCarthy averaged 8.7 yards per throw attempt and had a 67.6% completion percentage during his three seasons at Michigan. In addition, he has 11 interceptions and 49 touchdowns.
In his collegiate career, he had a 28-1 record as a starter. McCarthy guided the Wolverines to their first national title since 1997 in the previous season.
McCarthy completed 27 of 45 passes (60%) for 361 yards with three touchdowns and no interceptions in the 2023–24 college football playoffs.
How J.J. McCarthy Could Fit With the Steelers
For a few reasons, McCarthy is a compelling quarterback possibility.
He had an impressive win-loss record in college, of course. But that was primarily because McCarthy was part of a scheme that had an excellent running game and a strong defense.
Ted Nguyen of The Athletic stated that McCarthy “certainly wasn’t the driving force for the national champion Wolverines.” “The question is whether their decision to consistently pass protect at the expense of their ability to produce explosive plays stemmed from their lack of confidence in McCarthy or in the pass protection skills of their offensive line.
“The Wolverines had a physical offensive line that could block runs, but they occasionally had trouble passing protect, especially against elite opposition.”
However, McCarthy seems to be becoming increasingly well-known for his unique abilities during the last few weeks.
McCarthy was selected by NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah at No. 8 in his second mock draft, which was made public on February 20. Then, Brad Biggs of The Chicago Tribune projected on February 23 that McCarthy would rank No. 6.
McCarthy was selected by the Steelers at No. 20 overall in a mock draft conducted by Phil Perry of NBC Sports Boston at the end of January.
McCarthy’s shares seem to be getting higher. Though the draft is still two months away, it doesn’t seem likely that McCarthy will be available for the Steelers at No. 20 if they are interested.
Steelers Giving Up on QB Kenny Pickett?
It’s not really an issue of whether the Steelers are interested in McCarthy, though. Whether or if they are ready to let go of Pickett is the question.
The Steelers have been linked to multiple quarterbacks who will be available in the draft and free agency, according to NFL commentators. This offseason, a very popular speculation has been the team trading for Justin Fields.
However, the Steelers have openly endorsed Pickett as a possible 2024 starter.
Pittsburgh’s starting quarterback for 2024 is already on the roster, Tomlin informed reporters during his post-season news conference on January 18.
Other than Pickett, the Steelers’ roster only consists of signal callers since Mitch Trubisky was released on February 12.
Subsequently, on February 17, Gerry Dulac of The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette revealed that the Steelers are “not interested” in signing a new starting quarterback.
The Steelers may still select a quarterback in the draft despite this. During his post-season press conference, Tomlin emphasized that the team’s goal is to provide competition for Pickett.
Additionally intriguing late-round quarterback choices are Sam Hartman, Spencer Rattler, and others.
However, unless they change their mind on Pickett, it probably doesn’t make sense for the Steelers to target a signal caller in the first round, especially if they move up for one.
It is highly likely that the Steelers will face competition for Pickett in the form of a veteran in free agency or perhaps a re-signed Mason Rudolph.
