Every time a backup quarterback on an expiring contract has a good game in the NFL, the usual suspects bleat that the Steelers should get him next year.
It’s an extension of a similar exercise practiced during college football, when a good performance by a quarterback evokes cries (or tweets) of “HE A STEELER!” (“HE” instead of “HE’S” in order to sound street.)
It’s understandable.
The Steelers haven’t properly addressed the quarterback position since Ben Roethlisberger retired.
They don’t know how, as evidenced by drafting Kenny Pickett in 2022’s first round. That set the Steelers back at least five years.
The latest populist target is Malik Willis.
The Steelers might have considered picking him in 2022. But Pickett was instead chosen and Willis went to Tennessee in the third round.
Willis has since moved on to Green Bay as Jordan Love’s backup. With Love hurt, Willis has put together a couple of good games.
On Saturday, Willis completed 18 of 21 passes for 288 yards and a touchdown in Green Bay’s home loss to Baltimore. He also rushed nine times for 60 yards and two touchdowns.
So naturally Willis is the soup du jour for local media grifters and the amateur GMs on X.
Maybe it’s not a bad idea.
Then again, it might not be good to get a quarterback with experience at losing to Baltimore.
Willis is 26, did his internship with a bad team, got better with a better team and now looks ready to start. From Liberty Biberty all the way to prime time.
But it sounds a lot like what happened with Justin Fields, only he played a lot more in Chicago than Willis has in Tennessee or Green Bay.
Fields was a first-round pick and went to football factory Ohio State. The Steelers thought they could bring Fields around.
They couldn’t.
They de-emphasized his mobility and rushing ability and made him into a vanilla game manager with their usual emphasis on protecting the ball.
Understandable, given that Fields threw 30 interceptions and fumbled 38 times during his three seasons with Chicago. But there’s a difference between safe and neutered.
Fields has since failed miserably with the New York Jets. But everybody fails miserably with the Jets. (See Rodgers, Aaron.)
It’s easy to see the Steelers putting the same clamps on Willis and that leading to the same results. Namely, meh or worse.
Willis doesn’t have more talent than Fields. Nobody thought that when both were in college. That gap didn’t suddenly close Saturday night at Green Bay.
But lesser lights can figure it out. Willis played a much lower level of college football, after all. Bigger and longer adjustment.
Willis shouldn’t want to come to Pittsburgh. Coach Mike Tomlin has a defensive mindset and a prehistoric offensive approach.
It’s a team better suited for a legend in decline, like Rodgers, and not a quarterback in the ascension, like maybe Willis. Willis knows that Fields was coached to fail in Pittsburgh and, despite going 4-2, got replaced by ancient Russell Wilson as soon as Wilson healed from injury.
Fields was dumb to sign with the Steelers. Willis would be, too.
Willis also doesn’t fit the “win now for the old guys” mentality that figures to still be in effect next season. Here’s betting the Steelers bring back Rodgers, if he’s amenable, or recycle another fossil like Kirk Cousins, in addition to drafting their long-term answer at quarterback in April, then screwing him up.
That’s what the Steelers really need to do, at long last: Draft and develop a quarterback.
But Tomlin can’t do it.
