Steelers mailbag: Will Pittsburgh take a quarterback in the 2024 NFL Draft?

I think they do draft a guy, but not early on. I think it’ll be in the third or fourth round, similar to what Mason Rudolph was. I think regardless of how the rest of this season goes, Pickett starts Week 1 next year. I don’t think that is how it should go, but we know how this franchise operates. If it was me in charge, the Steelers would make a push for Kirk Cousins and draft a guy like Michael Penix to wait in the wings until Kirk calls it a career, and then he can hand the reigns over. Drafting a guy early on to be Pickett’s replacement just starts this whole process over again, which I don’t love the thought of. Cam Heyward isn’t getting any younger, and T.J. Watt and Minkah Fitzpatrick have yet to win a playoff game in their careers. This is a defense with win-now stars who shouldn’t have to play through the development of another rookie and cross their fingers.

Q: What are your realistic expectations for the offense now that Canada is gone?- RenoSteelersFan

I don’t think there will be huge changes. They aren’t going to all of a sudden become the 1980s 49ers. The quarterback still has a lot of his own issues that weren’t the fault of Canada. The biggest change I think we’ll see is the utilization of the middle of the field. If not, then that tells us all we need to know about Pickett.

Q: Do you think the Steelers will hire a new OC mid-season, or will we ride and die with the co-coordinators?- p-squared

They aren’t hiring anyone mid-season, that’s almost unheard of. They’ll finish this year out and go into 2024 with their new OC.

Q: The two new co-offensive coordinators have been with the team for awhile. They have seen plays not work time after time. They must have evaluated why these plays fail. Likely they have made recommendations on what should work in past games. What changes can they make to score more points at this stage of the season?- Ecbucs

Well hopefully they try utilizing the middle of the field in the pass game. If not, then it’s basically a full-blown conclusion that Pickett just can’t do it. And if that’s the case, he shouldn’t return next season. No one in their right mind would confidently roll out a quarterback if they don’t think he can make throws over the middle of the field. So hopefully we at least see them try.

Q: Is it wrong that if things aren’t going well that I’m still going to blame Canada?- Blunosed Steelhead

Ha, the Matt Canada resentment is something that won’t be washed off this team for a long while, so I get it. However, I fully believe the problem was 50 percent OC, 50 percent quarterback.

Q: Now that (A) Broderick Jones, Joey Porter Jr. & Keeanu Benton are playing more/starting and (B) the running game has come alive with more carries for Jaylen Warren and (C) Matt Canada has been fired – what will the Steelers fans be upset about next?- Carlos71

The quarterback. Most fans have seemingly come around to the idea that Pickett probably isn’t the guy. Plus, there will always be annoyance with Tomlin’s ultra-conservative style of coaching. I don’t think that will ever go away- it never did with Bill Cowher, either. Those would be the two things that come to mind.

Q: More Warren or more Najee? How many plays in before we see a Jet Sweep handoff and do you think the new duo will run them as part of the play calling? We lose the toss and Cincinnati defers, what is the first play call for the Steelers?- Pittblitz56

I think Warren needs to be getting 55-60 percent of the touches out of the backfield, so hopefully he gets more of the workload. The jet sweeps need to leave with Canada. If the Steelers start off with the ball, I’d like to see them do something similar to what the Packers did against the Lions on Thanksgiving. Launch the ball downfield on the first play to George Pickens on a post. Do it off a flea flicker if you’d like. Make the statement right away that this is a new day.

Q: Would it be the wrong idea to hire Brian Ferentz Zac Robinson or Jake Peets as our next OC- Yinzer

I get the line of thinking of wanting someone from the Sean McVay tree. As long as it’s someone innovative and forward-thinking, rather than the prehistoric offense we have been served over the last five years, then I’m okay with just about anyone. As long as the hire is someone not currently in the building or another Pitt hire.

Q: I’ve read a lot of opinions about what the Steelers should be working on offensively, but, can someone please offer an actual analysis of what the Steelers offense should be working on? (Film footage would be a plus…)- SteelerSince73

If you guys would like a film piece after the Bengals game, I will do one. In the meantime, Ben Solak of The Ringer did a really good breakdown of Matt Canada’s bland offense and why it doesn’t work, which you can watch here.