Mark Madden's Hot Take: Steelers didn't draft Kenny Pickett to be quick fix

Those who feel Kenny Pickett should have got a presidential-style motorcade into Latrobe, then gifted the Pittsburgh Steelers’ No. 1 quarterback job are either dumb or don’t pay attention, perhaps both.

Patrick Mahomes was drafted 10th overall in 2017. He started once as a rookie.

Jordan Love was drafted 26th overall in 2020. He’s started once, period.

Trey Lance was drafted third overall in 2021. He started twice as a rookie.

Pickett was said to be the most pro-ready quarterback in his draft. But that’s comparatively speaking. It doesn’t mean he’s actually pro-ready. He won’t be the first highly drafted rookie QB to not start immediately.

Pickett is 24, not 34. His clock is ticking but not that fast.

Pickett is talented. But he has struggled in training camp’s early days. His time will come.

But should the Steelers force-feed themselves a bad year to justify choosing Pickett with the 20th selection? Should they take away from preparing Mitch Trubisky and Mason Rudolph — the likely first- and second-string QBs — by way of giving Pickett enough practice snaps to demonstrate Pickett getting a fair chance? (Whatever that is.)

The Steelers sacrificed a first-round pick to prepare for the future.

But they won’t sacrifice an entire season to do that.

Pickett was never drafted to be a quick fix.

Ben Roethlisberger went 14-1 as a rookie in 2004 but probably wouldn’t have played that season but for injuries to Tommy Maddox and Charlie Batch. As mentioned in this space, Roethlisberger had twice Pickett’s pedigree.

The Steelers may get better stats from their quarterbacks this year and generally better play.

But their quarterbacks won’t win them more games.

So much about Roethlisberger was shot last year, not least his mobility.

But Roethlisberger won six games with fourth-quarter comebacks, another in overtime. Even semi-crippled, he had the guile of an all-time great and an aura that put doubt in the foe’s minds. You can’t teach that.