With the Pittsburgh Steelers' offseason in full swing and the free agency period starting, we can expect much activity around the NFL in the coming months.
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Quarterback Russell Wilson during Denver Broncos' training camp in June of 2022.
The most significant event of the Steelers' offseason has been quarterback Kenny Pickett's departure following the signing of 12-year veteran QB Russell Wilson when it was stated that the two would compete for the starting quarterback job in training camp.
Pickett's departure to the Philadelphia Eagles was a surprise and almost put the Steelers in the same position they were in after Ben Roethlisberger's retirement, considering Pickett was the long-term answer for the position. Only almost because Wilson, despite being past his prime, could be seen as a solid bridge until a permanent quarterback is added.
However, the turn of events surrounding Wilson and Pickett might be a blessing in disguise. Pickett never managed to live up to the expectations. Sure, there were bursts of magic during his first season—enough magic to entertain the idea that the Steelers had struck gold by drafting him. Come the regular season, the magic was gone, and Pickett even ended his sting with the Steelers on the bench.
With Wilson in the lineup and Pickett gone, the Steelers locked down one of the best quarterback options on the market: Chicago Bears quarterback Justin Fields. Similarly to Pickett, Fields was long considered a franchise quarterback by the Bears organization, but failed to live up to expectations.
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Justin Fields extends a play with his legs as quarterback for the Chicago Bears.
Fields was in a lousy team with the Bears, featuring two head coaches and two offensive coordinators in just three years. Hardly the best conditions for a young player to develop in. His raw ability and talent are there. During his three seasons with the Bears, he completed 60.3% of his passes and threw 40 touchdowns with 30 interceptions. He had 14 scores and ran for 2,220 yards. So far in NFL history, only Cam Newton and Lamar Jackson have made at least 40 touchdown passes and 2,000 rushing yards in their first three seasons.
Is Steelers' Fields The Long-Term Answer In Pittsburgh?
It’s easy to argue that Fields will be better off in the Steelers’ organization, backing up Wilson and getting well-needed mentorship from a veteran who cares. Wilson recently expressed his joy about mentoring young players. We might end up with a situation of having Fields developing behind Wilson, much like Patrick Mahomes did behind Alex Smith for the Kansas City Chiefs. The rest of the supporting cast is much better with the Steelers, along with better coaching and management. In the end, Fields could turn out to be a better long-term QB option than Pickett.
With the quarterback position taken care of, the Steelers have three other spots to fill: wide receiver, center, and cornerback.
Most importantly, the Steelers should add a wide receiver. While they went victorious in the battle of FA quarterbacks, the list of WR candidates is shrinking. Most significantly, Mike Williams was snatched up by the New York Jets. This leaves a couple of options on the board, including Tyler Boyd from the Cincinnati Bengals, Terry McLaurin from Washington Commanders, Odell Beckham Jr. from the Baltimore Ravens, Hunter Renfrow from the Las Vegas Raiders, and Michael Gallup from the Dallas Cowboys.
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Wide receiver, Mike Williams (81).
Boyd was considered the most likely option. But according to rumors, Steelers’ management is getting cold feet. One blockbuster move for the Steelers is Beckham. Considering his superstar status, Beckham is among the most exciting free agents. PA online sportsbooks have listed Pittsburgh as Beckham's third most likely destination. The betting market “Odell Beckham Jr. Next Team” has him at +450 for the Kansas City Chiefs, +600 for the New York Jets, and +800 for the Steelers. Considering the Jets just picked up a wide receiver, the odds for the Steelers landing Beckham should increase. The question is if they want to burn the necessary cap space to acquire him.
The Steelers should be an attractive option for most free agents, so their chances of landing a good player are solid. Luckily, there’s also plenty of cap space to burn if necessary. With the NFL Draft coming up in April, we’re a wide receiver and a couple of offensive linemen away from causing serious damage next season.
