A 3rd-stringer for now, Kenny Pickett vows to work to scale Steelers QB depth chart

Even as a first-round pick, even after being a Heisman finalist, even after breaking Dan Marino’s records, Kenny Pickett knows he has to start at the bottom in the NFL.

Asked about getting third-string reps during the Pittsburgh Steelers’ organized team activities sessions, Pickett smiled.

“Yeah, man, I didn’t think I was going to walk in and be the ‘1,’ right?

“So, it’s kind of what I was expecting in coming in here. Earn everything I get. Kind of how it goes in life and in the game, so I am excited to be here.”

The 20th pick of the April draft, Pickett joined a team that had signed former No. 2 overall pick Mitch Trubisky a month earlier during unrestricted free agency. Trubisky and fifth-year pro Mason Rudolph have been taking first- and second-team reps so far during voluntary OTAs during the first summer of the Steelers’ post-Ben Roethlisberger era.

Roethlisberger retired after 18 seasons in January. Pickett, of course, played at Pitt and led the Panthers to their first ACC championship last fall.

“We are all learning,” Pickett said of the Steelers’ quarterbacks. “I am learning and just kind of attacking each day. I think (the media) makes a bigger deal out of the competition than the players do because we are competing every single day regardless. So I am excited to be part of this team and compete.”

Quarterbacks working on their jet sweep handoffs on first day of OTAs for the Steelers. pic.twitter.com/AW9PoPYjPo

— Joe Rutter (@tribjoerutter) May 24, 2022

Pickett said he and seventh-round pick Chris Oladokun have been “joined at the hip” as each tries to learn the nuances of the NFL as rookie quarterbacks.

Rudolph has been with the Steelers since being a third-round pick in 2018, starting 10 games in that time. Trubisky started 50 games over five seasons with the Chicago Bears, twice leading them into the playoffs and once being added to the NFC Pro Bowl roster.

Pickett said Trubisky and Rudolph have been receptive to answering questions.

“Just little small things here and there,” Pickett said. “It’s not a formal sitdown, ‘Hey man can you give me all the secrets.’ It’s just if I am going through plays and I am like, ‘Hey what did you see here? Why did you do this? What footwork do you like to use here?’ All little things like that. We are kind of working together, so everyone is getting better It’s good. It’s good competition.”

Note: The Steelers released defensive lineman Trevon Mason. Mason made the team after attending rookie minicamp.

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