Former Steelers Lineman Remains Pessimistic On Long-Term Outlook For 2022 1st-Rounder Kenny Pickett

Things haven't progressed in 2023 for Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback, Kenny Pickett. He worked on several things throughout the summer, and it seemed like those translated to training camp practices and into the preseason. After a flawless stint throughout August, albeit in a limited sample size, the hype surrounding him grew. Not only were Steelers fans joining in on the hype, but so was the national media.

The second-year quarterback was everyone's pick to be the league's breakout player at the most important position in football. Unfortunately, he hasn't lived up to any of that hype. Whether it's been from the hype, or he's just simply not good enough, Pickett hasn't shown much improvement in 2023. Former Steelers offensive lineman, Trai Essex, doesn't sound too optimistic either on the quarterback based off a few of his tweets this week.

"I just want one whole game from Pickett where it looks like he’s capable of being the lynchpin for an explosive offense. Then we can say that he has it in him at least. The 4th quarters are great. Whole games are better," Essex tweeted.

You've probably heard the stat by now: the Steelers have been outgained in every game to this point, yet they are 6-3. That's a testament to the team in being able to still win games, as Mike Tomlin has coached his tail off. Still, it doesn't seem sustainable, especially if the team wants to sneak into the postseason. They have a difficult stretch coming up, as they face a divisional opponent on the road in back-to-back weeks.

That will be a great test to this theory, but even if they make the playoffs, what is this team's ceiling? Those stats are less of a testament to the defense and more of a concern to the offense, led by Pickett. Whether you want to place blame on the offensive line or Matt Canada, fine, but the quarterback hasn't made many throws when he's been given the opportunity to do so.

Should The Steelers Have Hope That Pickett Is The Long-Term Answer?

As a whole, the passing offense ranks fourth-worst in the NFL at just 180.3 yards per contest. That's simply not good enough for an offense that has invested a lot into its group over the past few years. For the first time since Week 1 though, Pickett will get (likely) his full staple of weapons in Week 11 against the Cleveland Browns. Tight end Pat Freiermuth is on track to return this weekend, which will be a big boost to the intermediate passing game. 

As Essex points out, Pickett doesn't have many (if any) physical traits that stand out. His leadership is regarded as one of his best attributes, and the quarterback was named a captain for the 2023 season despite entering just his second year. Beyond that, there's no doubt that he has a clutch factor to him. He's led the Steelers on several game-winning drives over the past two seasons, as he performs exponentially better in the fourth quarter.

The question persists as to why he can't put it altogether and do that for the totality of a game. In all reality, the Steelers will probably give Pickett two more years to prove himself. They invested a 20th overall pick in him, so they have no choice but to see if he can be the guy for the future. For now though, the doubts, including with Essex and several other former players and fans, will continue until Pickett proves otherwise.

Do you think Pickett is the long-term answer at quarterback? How long do you think the team will give him to prove that he is that guy? Share your thoughts in the comment section below!

#SteelerNation