Week 13 of the NFL season is in the books, the Pittsburgh Steelers are coming off a disappointing loss to one of the worst teams in the NFL, and they are now dealing with several key injuries, one of which is their starting quarterback. Should the Steelers be concerned about durability with Kenny Pickett moving forward?

NFL Draft season is also right around the corner, and offseason priorities are already being discussed by numerous fans. With the end of the season nearing, it is a good time to break out a discussion that will be looming large over the Steelers organization in the coming months: can the Steelers do better than Kenny Pickett in 2024?

This week on The Steelers Fix Podcast, I had some special guests on the show in the absence of Jeremy Betz. Those of you who listen to our show faithfully know that I am currently a college student, and at college, you run into many different types of football fans from many different fan bases. So I thought it would be a neat idea to go around campus and get opinions from students that are fans of other NFL teams, in efforts to accurately evaluate the options potentially on the table for the Steelers this Spring, specifically at the quarterback position. The vast majority of the questions asked to these students were predicated on controversial quarterback situations around the NFL, and by getting their perspective, it gives us potential scenarios to discuss as it pertains to this offseason.

If you have not yet listened to the show, make sure you do so by clicking on the player below.

I really want to use the opinions stated by those students and use it to help paint a mental picture as to what this offseason could look like in the NFL. However, the conversation has to begin with Kenny Pickett. putting his ability, upside, and long-term projection all aside, durability needs to be put into the equation when discussing Pickett and whether or not the Steelers should stick with him going into next season. “Is he the guy?” is a different topic, because we also need to ask the question, “Can he be durable enough to be the guy long term?”

Pickett has now suffered four key injuries in the span of two years: a rib injury from the first half of this season, two concussions last season, and this most recent ankle injury. The offensive line’s performance has certainly not helped his cause in that regard, but still, these injuries are concerning and must be put into the equation when making the decision whether or not to move on from him after this season. I believe a big reason why Matt Canada was fired mid-season was because the Steelers want to see if Kenny shows signs of improvement while not under the influence of Canada. Unfortunately, this injury will greatly minimize the sample size we get from Kenny this season. This only complicates matters more.

In free agency, the top names available are the likes of Kirk Cousins, Jameis Winston, Josh Dobbs, Ryan Tannehill, and Baker Mayfield, none of which would be definite upgrades from what the Steelers currently have in Pickett. Dobbs would provide intrigue due to his familiarity with the team, but if he has a strong finish to the season, his price tag may be a bit rich for the Steelers.

In the draft, there are a good number of quarterbacks who could go first round, but none are slam dunks. Even Caleb Williams, who is the consensus QB1, has concerns as it pertains decision making and long-term durability. Bo Nix, J.J. McCarthy, Michael Penix, Jr., and Quinn Ewers have all shown great development this season, but there are still aspects about their games that make me leery about spending a first-round pick on one of them. Jayden Daniels is a name I have my eye on, thanks to his development as a passer. I see a lot of Justin Fields in Daniels’ game, but he is still raw. If Chicago entertains the idea of drafting a quarterback this year, a better option may be to see what the price would be for Fields, who has proven he can do it in the NFL but has not been given much support.

At the end of the day, Kenny Pickett may very well be the best option the Steelers have going into 2024, as the high demand for quarterbacks will dry up the market quickly. Everyone likes the shiny new toy, and many fans would be intrigued by starting over at quarterback, but my current opinion is that the best thing the Steelers can do is find a competent offensive coordinator who can tailor the offense to Pickett’s strengths and get George Pickens more involved.

What do you think the Steelers should do at quarterback next offseason? Should the team stick with Kenny, or should they explore other options in free agency and the draft? Be sure to light up the comment section below with your thoughts on this and all things NFL Draft.