Since Ben Roethlisberger hung up his cleats after the 2021 season, the Pittsburgh Steelers have hit a bit of a rough patch when it comes to their QBs. Kenny Pickett has had a rocky start in his first two NFL seasons. A lot of fingers have been pointed at Matt Canada, the former OC, who wasn’t exactly winning any popularity contests for his strategies.

Despite this, it would be shortsighted for the Steelers not to scout around for some quarterback talent outside their current roster, especially now that Russell Wilson is on the market after his departure from the Denver Broncos.

Russel Wilson to move to Pittsburgh?

Rumor has it that Wilson might don a Steelers jersey. Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported that the Steelers are eyeing Wilson and are keen on a meet-up before free agency kicks off next week. The whispers about Wilson heading to Pittsburgh started swirling as soon as it was clear the Broncos were looking to move on.

The Steelers are all for giving Pickett another chance but they’re also on the lookout to stir up some healthy competition come training camp. Despite getting a mixed press, Wilson proved in 2023 he’s still got plenty of game left in him, making him a solid pick for the Steelers as they navigate their post-Roethlisberger era.

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But, if Wilson comes to Pittsburgh, what will happen to Kenny Pickett and his career?

Kenny’s fate hangs in the balance

Thinking about bringing Wilson into the mix isn’t just about stirring up some competition for Pickett. It’s more like signing the end of his days as Pittsburgh’s starting QB. Not too long ago, Omar Khan, the Steelers’ GM, was all in on Kenny Pickett. Despite Kenny riding a bit of a rollercoaster in his second NFL season, Khan was standing firm behind his guy.

“I have full faith in Kenny,” Khan shared with the press at the NFL Scouting Combine. “He’s shown us some good stuff, sure, there were a couple of bumps along the way with the offense. But I’m really looking forward to what Arthur Smith is going to bring to the table for him.” This past season wasn’t a full run for Pickett, though. He was on the sidelines for a few games, thanks to an ankle injury that needed some fixing up.

So, maybe the plan is to give Pickett a bit of a break this year and let him learn from the sidelines while Wilson takes the reins. Bringing in someone with Wilson’s experience might just be the missing piece for the Steelers to shake things up in the AFC.