Mark Madden: The hype around Kenny Pickett is loud, some deserved, but Steelers still have question marks
Hype is fun, even when it’s ridiculous. Especially when it’s ridiculous.
On Saturday, a local radio host said Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Kenny Pickett has many of the same attributes as Michael Jordan and Sidney Crosby.
Does he really believe that? Hope not. But it’s amusing regardless.
The Steelers have had a near-flawless preseason, Pickett even more so. That’s good. Quarterbacks matter most. Pickett doesn’t have to be Joe Burrow or Jordan or Crosby. But the closer Pickett comes, the better it is for the Steelers.
The Pickett hype is loud, lusty and over the top. But good things have happened to generate such, with ample amplification added. (These go to 11.)
I’m relatively sold on Pickett. He’s a clear-cut leader. His tangibles are catching up to his intangibles. He doesn’t figure to be a mere game manager (unless the play-calling dumbs down after a couple of mistakes get made).
But I’m not sold on plenty else, especially without exposure to the unforgiving light of real games (which Pickett must also deal with).
Besides wide receiver George Pickens, do the Steelers have enough real playmakers on offense? If I’m an opposing defensive coordinator, my focus is on Pickens.
Beyond the guards, how good is the offensive line? When first-round pick Broderick Jones enters the chat, will Dan Moore Jr. supplant Chuks Okorafor by moving from left tackle to right tackle? How difficult would that be in midseason?
How will offensive coordinator Matt Canada adjust when opposing defensive coordinators game plan for Canada’s game plan? The preseason is explicitly vanilla. Canada did well in the exhibitions. Now another leap is required.
Are the new inside linebackers better, or just different names but equally meh? San Francisco coach Kyle Shanahan will let us know come Week 1.
Do the Steelers have enough depth at cornerback? Is either Levi Wallace or rookie Joey Porter Jr. a legit No. 1 on the outside?
If there’s a problem, it’s not likely to be Pickett. But keep your eye on all of the above.
Steelers back Najee Harris called the preseason results “fool’s good.” He’s right, not least because the Steelers faced mostly bad-caliber foes in the exhibition games.
The 2017 Cleveland Browns went 4-0 in the preseason before going 0-16 in real games. (These Steelers aren’t those Browns.)
Final cuts are due at 4 p.m. Tuesday. It’s one of many overrated days on the NFL’s calendar.
The last couple of cuts wouldn’t have helped. Those kept at the very bottom of the roster won’t contribute. Kendrick Green, James Pierre, whoever’s in the margins, they don’t matter. It’s all just special teams and tinkering.
Kevin Dotson getting traded to the Los Angeles Rams was no surprise. Isaac Seumalo got signed to replace him at left guard. Dotson can’t play center, so his usefulness as a backup is limited. Dotson is tough: he played every snap last year despite nagging injuries. But he committed 12 penalties, and those added up to a one-way ticket to Palookaville.
The Steelers get to move up a round on a couple of draft picks. The gain is minimal but positive.
So, now the Steelers got who they got. It’s time to play real games.
The only big decision left: Who will you take first in your fantasy league draft? I’d go with either Pickett or Trey Lance.