For the moment forget the fact that Pickett is a relatively cheap player on the NFL salary cap. He is. That is not the question. We can add players around him. Is he what you need to win in the playoffs at QB, or is his upside at best a Kirk Cousins or Dak Prescott type of player? Or is he a game manager ( the good ones or the bad ) type of QB that you can win games with IF the defense gives the team + turnovers AND the team adequately runs the ball keeping the QB out of many 3rd down and longs. Pickett IMO has not shown any signs of being a QB who you want to keep.
I could be wrong and Pickett shows tremendous growth in his second season ( the odds are against that heavily just look at the NFL draft and ask yourself did Burrow, Alllen, Hurts, Mahomes, Herbert , and Lawrence show you more in their first 12 games starting ) . Those are the QB you want to keep and offer a new 2nd contract to. He just does not have the arm strength ( velocity and MPH ), qb smarts, accuracy, of an NFL starting QB that is needed to become a top ten QB in the NFL. The 6, 7, 8, and 9 routes I question. The Qb. The most important position. His long term durability is a big question mark as he missed games too.
I think the Steelers would be wise to cut Trubisky and draft a quarterback! Saving $8,00,000.00 on the cap and signing a cheap veteran. We should draft a qb this year, not in round one mind you, but after that in 2023. So what should we do?
By my judgment either the senior bowl MVP Jake Haener who passed for lots yards, showed good accuracy ( 72% ), enough of an arm, good ball security ( just three interceptions ) and attractive YPC ( 9.0 ) to become a good game manger type of QB. He was the senior bowl MVP and showed well in practices. His data and play in the week of the senior bowl exceed Pickett's. The game features about 100 players who will be drafted and is a good measure for NFL success as any.
OR
Stenson Bennett who ripped it up and the combine showing good speed, elite arm MHP, and quickness . He can zip the 6,7,8, and 9 routes. In College he tore it up completing 68.1% of his passes, averaging an impressive 9.1 yard per pass, and only throwing 7 picks is the SEC, and 21 TD's. He can run for first downs too and scored 10 touchdowns rushing. He is 26-1 in his games as a starter. These numbers and competition played are superior to Pickett who only played well in his 4th season as a starter in college. Bennett is incredibly difficult to sack with just nine sacks against in 2022 and 2021 and bye my eyes has a quick release. He is tough too and durable too. He is built better than his weight suggests. You can build a game around him.
How smart are they? Better than Pickett is my guess who couldn't even audible out of plays last year and scored poorly on the NFL Wonderlic ( scored a 17 ) . Both players should be able to read an NFL defense better than Pickett. Much better. QB smarts count.
Now Bennett's character and maturity levels are in question, but I don't think his football character is an issue as Kirby Smart and his teammates like him.
I would be happy if we get Bennett in the third round or Haener in the 4thround.
Be my grade Bennett has moved up to a 2nd round talent and his the # 's and post season work out suggest that.
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