Pittsburgh made the move to terminate the Pickett era by trading him to the Philadelphia Eagles.

The Steelers did not have a fantastic squad in 2023, or even a particularly good one, but they managed to win a

bunch of close games and make the playoffs. And, despite making the playoffs as the AFC’s eighth and last seed, they

battled No. 2 seed Buffalo in the wild card round.

Pittsburgh never had much of an answer at quarterback, as 2022 first-round pick Kenny Pickett was mainly

unsuccessful before suffering an ankle injury in Week 13, and he didn’t regain his job even when healthy. Pittsburgh

ended the Pickett Era by moving him to the Philadelphia Eagles for a 2024 third-round draft pick and two seventh-

round picks in 2025.

Backup Mason Rudolph had some good moments, but he didn’t appear like a franchise quarterback. According to

NFL Network, the Steelers are taking a chance on Russell Wilson by signing him to a one-year contract, while

Rudolph is heading to the Tennessee Titans on a one-year contract. The Steelers also reportedly made a trade for

Chicago Bears quarterback Justin Fields, providing one of the NFL’s more intriguing QB depth charts this summer.

The Steelers are in good hands as long as Mike Tomlin is in charge of their operations. He has yet to have a losing

season in his 17 years as Steelers head coach.

After Russell Wilson, the Steelers’ biggest early move was signing former Ravens standout linebacker Patrick Queen

to a rumored three-year, $41 million contract. Pittsburgh doesn’t have a lot of major talent available in free agency,

but Wallace’s likely departure highlights their cornerbacks room and the talent they need to acquire. The Steelers

allegedly acquired cornerback Donte Jackson in a trade with the Panthers that sent wide receiver Diontae Johnson to

Carolina. Rudolph played well at the end of the regular season and started Pittsburgh’s playoff game, but he’s headed

to Tennessee.