Mark Madden's Hot Take: Steelers have to manage Kenny Pickett's future sensibly

Mitch Trubisky is the Pittsburgh Steelers’ starting quarterback. That was a lock the minute he signed.

But the Steelers clearly are enamored with rookie Kenny Pickett, even beyond having drafted him with the 20th pick overall.

What’s not to like? Pickett has done well in his brief pro tenure. He’s made progress.

Here’s how the Steelers should transition to Pickett at quarterback:

Don’t trade Mason Rudolph. Rudolph is a capable NFL backup. His career could mirror Charlie Batch’s eight seasons with the Steelers: 33 appearances, nine starts.

That’s not a knock. Batch rarely was used but always ready. There’s an art to that.

Return for Rudolph in a trade would be minimal, no better than a fifth-round pick. There’s no urgency to shear Rudolph’s $4.04 million salary-cap hit.

The Steelers offensive line looks like it might be as bad as last year’s. Quarterbacks will get hurt. Here’s betting three quarterbacks start games for the Steelers this season.

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So keep Rudolph.

If you think that limits Pickett’s reps at practice, that’s easily solved: just give Pickett more reps at practice.

Rudolph can be the No. 2 quarterback on gameday. Pickett can be the No. 2 quarterback in practice.

That won’t necessarily keep Rudolph at his sharpest. But he can make do.

That’s not traditional quarterback methodology, which is why coach Mike Tomlin won’t do it. Tomlin is strictly cookie-cutter.

But the Steelers must prepare Pickett. They also have got to protect themselves against Trubisky getting injured, especially early in the season. The Steelers will need Rudolph.

Pickett will be a competent No. 2 sooner, not later. Maybe that occurs by midseason.

Pickett might even start sooner, not later. Trubisky couldn’t lose the job in the preseason. But he might lose it during the season.

That depends on the Steelers’ record, on Trubisky’s performance and on Pickett’s continued progress.

Pickett is the future. But that future must be managed sensibly and not rushed.