Pickett ranked worst first rd QB in last 5 years

When have the Steelers engaged in a multi-season rebuild such as the Bears are just coming out of? Or the Pats exited surprisingly early last season? Or the Dolphins are starting now? The Raiders tried to jumpstart one by selling off Crosby.

I can not remember the last time the Steelers traded a prime player for picks. Or current draft picks for higher future picks.

I don’t remember the Steelers ever short changing the amount of roster and draft assets used in Year X to benefit Year Y. If anything, they’ve engaged in the opposite.

Looking at their history it’s pretty clear they, as an organization, do not believe in rebuilding as other franchises have practiced it.

 

Looking at Justin Fields and Russell Wilson how would you construct an offense helmed by a combination of those two that was more primed for playoff success?

What does a successful playoff offense focused on Duck Hodges and Mason Rudolph look like?

what about an offense helmed by old man Rodgers?

I argue that the starting assumption that there is an offense that wins in the playoffs led by any of those QBs is an incorrect one.

 

Disagree on Rodgers.

Rodgers is good enough to win in the playoffs with the correct supporting cast and a proper offensive philosophy. Hell, old, crippled man Manning won in the playoffs and Rodgers is currently a lot better than Manning was in his final season.

For Rodgers to win in the playoffs, he needs a legit weapon opposite a hopefully not suspended DK. And an offensive line that can protect him for more than 1.5 sec.

And I'm not even sure about Rudolph. Has he ever been put into modern offensive system? Maybe even he could succeed.

 

Rodgers has not won a playoff games since 2020.

Rudolph was not good in Tennessee.

 

We are doomed.

 

You are correct. The only path to winning in the playoffs is better play from the QB position.

I just disagree that any of the QBs brought in since Ben were capable of winning a playoff game. I do not believe there was an offensive scheme or roster design available/possible that would have provided the chance for any of those guys to succeed in the playoffs. Doesn't, for me, matter who was coaching.

Change the offensive design, and you most likely do not even make the playoffs. The line between the Steelers with Fields/Wilson and the 2025 Jets is not that large.

 

*patiently awaits response from STD*

 

You can readily divide the Steelers into eras. In most of Ben's career; I am not making the argument that they didn't have enough talent to win things. They just didn't. There are individual reasons why that can be debated and discussed until the heat death of the universe.

Since 2019; they just have not had the talent/performance at the QB position required to be competitive in the playoffs. Further, there was/is no amount of coaching or scheming that would have covered up that deficit enough to change the season long outcome in a positive manner.

As to trading guys, I would've bit the bullet and traded Watt and Heyward long ago. I can totally understand why the did not and have not. But, me, I would have. Likely to my regret.

 

Yeah. i can agree with that.

The Packers as they went from late career Rodgers to Love. Brought in a new coach that mandated that Rodgers play a different style of ball. When Rodgers balked at that after a couple of seasons, they moved on and had Love ready to go.

The Chiefs upgrading from Smith to Mahomes.

The Bills banking on being able to develop Josh Allen and not giving up after it looked pretty bad early on.

Even the Ravens bending their offensive infrastructure to the specific pros and cons of Jackson.

If you want to get out of an NFL rut, you need to do something dramatic. The Steelers do not do dramatic.

 

Begs the question, why would the Steelers sign them then?

And an owner that stays out of football decisions. Watson was all Haslam.

 

In hindsight... they should have NOT signed Fields, Wilson or Rodgers. All 3 together netted the same result... 9-10 wins and annihilation in the wildcard game. It would have been better to sink or swim with Pickett and Skyler Thompson in '24. Rebuild if it sunk, which likely would have happened.... with Cam Ward or whoever in the '25 draft. Steelers keep kicking the can down the road with old QBs who are not going to elevate the offense to compete with the elite teams... Chiefs, Ravens, Bills, Texans, Broncos and now Patriots.

 

I really wish we could get our hands on a young QB like we did with big Ben and let them grow into the quarterback that Steeler fans love. Just like Big Ben.

 

Honestly, not sure. I would've taken a flier on Fields if it was my railroad. I wouldn't have signed any of the others.

I think it was all swirling around this idea that if they just got "competent" QB play rather than built around another flawed rookie that they could get over the hump. And I think they have been targeting the 2026 draft for their next QB draft pick for a bit now. Unfortunately, most of the guys that were supposed to come out this year stayed in school.

 

No , nobody is OK with having just above 500 seasons, but that's not what people are saying. Hell thats not what You have been saying. Word for word many of You have said......I rather have a losing season than making the playoffs, and lose. LoL. Guess what You can't win a playoff game if you can't get to one. In effect, but You, and others won't admit it, you are saying its better to not make the playoffs , then to lose in the playoffs, and that makes no sense. Nobody that has ever played any sport would actually wish that to be. LoL.
Also this whole get a better draft pick is hogwash, and You , and everyone that is saying this really know this.
If this was true then everyone who had losing seasons would be drafting only HOF players. Some of our best players came in drafts after winning seasons. You people keep saying Ben. Guess what we had many losing season between Bradshaw, and Ben.
How about Troy Polamalu, TJ Watt, AB, L. Bell, and hell I can name as many good to great draft picks after a winning season as you can name after a losing season. Hell 4 of those guys many on here think were some of our best players ever at their positions. So this whole got lose to draft good is stupid.

 

Using Mannings last year is fools gold. Nobody in the history of the NFL that I can find had a Qb play that bad during the season, and actually make it, and win a SB. So making a comparison to a one off is not realistic.

 

So the Bills should just quit??? I mean they always make the playoffs, and lose before they make the SB. So by Your words they should just blow it up, start losing, and get higher draft picks??
Here come the but they won playoff games, from one of the people that would rather lose than make a playoff game , and lose then. LoL. It make you mad because you know honestly this make no sense.
Again some of the greatest Steelers players have been drafted after a winning season. You don't have to have a losing season to draft great players.

 

Josh Allen is a hundred times better QB than current Rodgers, Wilson of '24 and Fields of '24.

Add Josh Allen to Steelers of '23, '24 or '25... and at least 2 playoff games would have been won.

 

So what?? This is where You win a playoff game people actually know you are talking in circles, and honestly know You talking out of both sidesof your mouth, ,but Your dislike of Tomlin has made you people talk in circles that make no sense.
Example of such people: It's OK to lose so You get a better draft pick, but it's bad to lose after you make the Playoffs, but it's OK to lose in the playoffs if you win at least one game, and therefore you now have an even worse draft pick. LoL
Can You people actually not see the circles of nonsense you are trying to sell . LoL. You would have to be either really slow, or so stubborn that You can't see this.

 

I think Steelers should roll with Will Howard and Mason Rudolph and draft some rookie QB in rounds 4-6. If they end up with a losing record... so be it.

We need a blue chip player in picks 10 or under in '27 draft, like Ben Roethlisberger or Rod Woodson. A game changer. We ain't getting that this year. We ain't got one since we got lucky and drafted Watt... because 29 teams were too dumb to draft him.

 

You don't have to have a losing season to draft great players.
Was Troy Polamalu not great??
How about L. Bell??
How about AB??
How about TJ Watt??
I can keep doing this.
All were drafted in winning seasons. I guess they sucked??

 

IIRC, we traded up to get Polamalu in '03 draft. No way do we get him at the original pick.

AB at WR was a great, once in a generation pick in the 6th round... like Brady at QB in 2000. Steelers and Patriots got lucky as hell.

Bell was not drafted after a winning season. It was after a .500, 8-8 season in 2012.

I can keep doing this too.

Again, TJ Watt... was the product of 29 teams being stupid by not drafting him. Steelers got lucky again.