Former Steelers GM Kevin Colbert Defends Terrible Kenny Pickett Selection: "He Was Trending In The Right Direction"

The Pittsburgh Steelers are in a troubling spot when it comes to the quarterback position. Aaron Rodgers is gearing up to start for the second consecutive season, but he has already announced that he plans to retire once the year is finished. This will leave the Steelers searching for the franchise's starter for the 2027 season, and it is another thing that shows just how badly the Steelers need to find some stability at the most important position in the sport. The position has been a complete revolving door ever since Ben Roethlisberger retired following the 2021 season, and that has hurt the franchise.

The Steelers did not really have much of a succession plan for when Roethlisberger retired, so the franchise went and signed Mitch Trubisky in free agency before drafting Kenny Pickett in the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft. Trubisky was the starter to begin the 2022 season, but he was eventually replaced by Pickett. Pickett only lasted two seasons with the Steelers before being traded to the Philadelphia Eagles, where he won a Super Bowl. He also spent some time with the Cleveland Browns, Las Vegas Raiders, and he is now on the Carolina Panthers.

Pittsburgh drafting Pickett in the first round is now considered a reach, and the pick is thought to have set the franchise back a few years. Former General Manager Kevin Colbert was running the draft in 2022, and he appeared on 93.7 The Fan on Thursday afternoon and was asked to comment on the selection of Pickett.

"We projected Kenny to be a starter, and win, NFL quarterback," Colbert said. "Quite honestly, he lived up to that in his first two seasons with us. For us, he was 14-10 and trending in the right direction. So that's what we thought we had in Kenny. Kenny's a great young man, he's a great competitor. After he left the Steelers, he's bounced around in backup opportunities, and I still think, at a young age, Kenny can continue to build on what he did with us in those first two seasons."

By no means did Pickett ever look like he might be a high-level NFL quarterback during his time with the Steelers, but there were signs of progression, and he was winning games as a starter. There were some good signs from the young signal-caller, but the Steelers decided to move on from him following the 2023 season.

Pickett was also a bit handcuffed in Pittsburgh. The focus was largely on the defense, and the offense was relied upon to play conservative football. Former offensive coordinator Matt Canada was putrid, and he was fired halfway through Pickett's second season. Anyone could have seen that the franchise needed a new play-caller going into the 2023 offseason, but former head coach Mike Tomlin decided to keep Canada around for another season. Canada still hasn't seen another coaching opportunity.

The quarterback began to trend in the right direction after Canada was fired, but injuries cut his 2023 season short. Mason Rudolph filled in and played well, which ended the Pickett era in Pittsburgh.

Steelers' Former GM Still Believes In Kenny Pickett

Colbert sounded like he still had some belief in Pickett. He mentioned how Sam Darnold just won a Super Bowl on his fourth team, and that Pickett could still find success as a starter in the NFL. He is now with Carolina, and Bryce Young is the starter there. Despite having a clear starter, that situation is not as concrete as it seems. Young's play has been inconsistent throughout his career and he has been benched in the past, so there is a path for Pickett to get back on the field.

What do you think about Colbert's comments on Pickett? Let me know on X, @brogannoey!

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