Forget all the betting sites, forget all the random reports that the Pittsburgh Steelers had the highest bid for Justin Fields. The team isn’t even actively pursuing the Chicago Bears quarterback.
Not only are they not seriously interested in Fields, but all the free-agent-to-be quarterbacks who’ve been “linked” to the Steelers. League sources close to the quarterback situation in Pittsburgh told The Athletic’s Dianna Russini that the Steelers aren’t courting Russell Wilson, Baker Mayfield or Kirk Cousins.
These supposed facts, if accurate, support what Mike Tomlin, Art Rooney II, Omar Khan and Arthur Smith have been saying all along — this is Kenny Pickett‘s team.
The process reportedly started when Smith met up with his quarterback in recent weeks. “The sentiment among many here in Indy — including some with the team — was that Pickett could get another chance after a disastrous 2023 season due in part to the offense’s overall struggles under then-OC Matt Canada,” wrote ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler. “Smith should help maximize Pickett’s skill set.”
Competition will exist, though to what extent is unknown right now, but it won’t be in the form of a veteran starter. It’s more likely to come from Mason Rudolph, and even then, it sounds like Pickett will have to really struggle this offseason to lose the job.
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