The 2022 offseason was the end of an era for the Pittsburgh Steelers as future Hall of Fame quarterback Ben Roethlisberger rode off into retirement. After spending 18 seasons with the team, Roethlisberger called it quits shortly after the Steelers lost to the Kansas City Chiefs during Super Wild Card Weekend.
This season was the first time in almost two decades that Pittsburgh was on the lookout for a new starting quarterback. Mason Rudolph was held over from the roster last season and is entering his fourth with the team.
To compete with him, Mitchell Trubisky was signed in free agency away from the Buffalo Bills. The team also used their first-round pick in Kenny Pickett out of Pittsburgh. Right now, the starting job looks like it will be going to Trubisky in Week 1 with Pickett as his backup.
It is hard to imagine that he will have a very long leash. Pickett improved steadily as the offseason went on and was excellent with the preseason opportunities that he received. First-round picks rarely sit very long and if Trubisky shows any signs of faltering, the Steelers will not hesitate to turn to Pickett, who they are hoping will be their new franchise quarterback.
Alas, some people are skeptical about the quarterback situation in Pittsburgh. One of those people is ESPN analyst Dan Orlovsky. During a recent appearance on ESPN’s Get Up, Orlovsky wasn’t very high on either option.
“It don’t matter who your quarterback is going to be. … They’ve got issues no matter who the quarterback is.”
Orlovsky’s real criticism of the Steelers was their offensive line and the playcalling thus far. The offensive line looks shaky, again, which has been a problem in recent seasons. As for the play calling, no team is going to give away what they are doing during preseason games. If things are looking the same once the games start to count, then the criticism is warranted.
While Orlovsky may not be enamored with the players under center, Pittsburgh has done a good job finding great weapons to surround them with. Running back Najee Harris, wide receivers Diontae Johnson, Chase Claypool, George Pickens and Calvin Austin with tight end Pat Freiermuth is an excellent group of skill position players for Trubisky and Pickett to get the ball to.
