3 Kenny Pickett replacements the Steelers should avoid, but this one is a perfect fit
By John Buhler
2. Baker Mayfield will most definitely clash with Mike Tomlin, Arthur Smith
This one has the potential to be a complete and total powder keg. It would serve Baker Mayfield to play pretty much anywhere else other than Pittsburgh. While he should probably re-sign with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in his free agency, he is due for a massive bump in pay and will be highly sought after on the open market. He could be a cult hero in Pittsburgh, or the city's most hated guy.
If all goes well, Mayfield becomes the better and more refined version of what he was with the Cleveland Browns. It if hits the fan, oh, we are looking at home it ended for him during his final year playing for Kevin Stefanski in 2021. Given how stubborn Mike Tomlin is as a head coach, as well as how prickly Arthur Smith can be in his own right, this marriage will be fireworks, one way or another.
Even if all goes well with Mayfield in Pittsburgh, he is still only the third best quarterback in the division. You could argue that he is better than his Cleveland successor Deshaun Watson, but the AFC North still has Joe Burrow and Lamar Jackson in it at the peak of their powers. There is some reward with bringing Mayfield into the building, but the juice isn't worth the squeeze. This is too risky.
Mayfield is an immediate upgrade over Pickett, but the volatile Steelers do not need more kindling.