NFL Rumors: Steelers consider another terrible option at QB, and it’s not Kenny Pickett

Since future Hall of Famer Ben Roethlisberger’s retirement in 2022, the Pittsburgh Steelers have been desperately searching for his successor. So, they elected to select quarterback Kenny Pickett with the No. 20 overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft.

The Pickett experience has been disappointing, to say the least, to the point that the Steelers are prepared to bring in another signal-caller to compete with him for the starting job.

Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin made it known that he expects to be back with the team for the final year of his contract in 2024 and that he also expects Pickett to return as the team’s starting quarterback. However, one major caveat regarding Tomlin’s affirmation of his young signal-caller is that he will fight for the job.

Despite giving a vote of confidence to Pickett, Tomlin feels that a battle for the team’s starting quarterback position will bring out the best in everyone involved. With that in mind, the team has been linked to a veteran signal-caller who is set to be an unrestricted free agent this offseason, but he may not be much better (if at all) than Pickett.

NFL Rumors: Pittsburgh Steelers connected to Ryan Tannehill

In a recent article, Maurice Moton of Bleacher Report suggested that the Steelers cut ties with struggling backup signal-caller Mitch Trubisky in favor of veteran quarterback Ryan Tannehill, who seems to have played his last game as a member of the Tennessee Titans in 2023-24.

Tannehill struggled this season before suffering an ankle injury that kept him sidelined for multiple weeks and ultimately losing his job to second-round rookie Will Levis, who the Titans plan to move forward with as the team’s starting quarterback of the future.

Turning 36 in July, Tannehill is a former Pro Bowler with valuable NFL experience, including the postseason.

Tannehill led the Titans to three consecutive playoff appearances from 2019-21, including a trip to the AFC Championship game in 2019. For his career, he has an 81-70 record across 151 regular-season starts.

However, his play has trended downward in recent years, most notably last season. In 10 games, Tannehill threw just four touchdown passes to seven interceptions while completing 64.8 percent of his passes (his lowest rate since 2018).

Given how Pickett has played in his first two seasons in the NFL, even an aging and descending Tannehill could be viewed as an upgrade.

Even though Pickett has a 14-10 record in his 24 starts, his stats have left much to be desired while the Steelers defense has been a catalyst for the team’s success. His lone game with multiple passing touchdowns came this season against the Las Vegas Raiders. Additionally, Pickett has eclipsed 300 passing yards just once in his career in 2022.

Even though Tomlin and the Steelers continue to express belief in Pickett, their actions in pursuit of quarterback competition speak volumes. While Tannehill may not be a massive upgrade to the position at this stage in his career, his experience and ability to manage a game can be viewed as a positive asset to a team that has been unable to get past Wild Card Weekend since 2017.