10-06-2021, 03:36 PM
Unfortunately for the Steelers, this year's QB class is almost the exact opposite as last year's.
Last year's class was an embarrassment of riches resulting in 5 QBs going in the top 15 and 4 of them starting within week 3 of their rookie seasons (Not that they've been good, but they are good enough to beat out your typical nameless veteran QB anyway)
This coming year's class is looking like just a plain embarrassment. Sam Howell and Spencer Rattler have struggled and, while he has put up gaudy stats against meager competition, Matt Corral had a strictly "meh" game against Alabama.
Malik Willis is looking electric, but he also plays for Liberty and who knows how much talent he actually has vs just beating up on weak competition. I imagine he'd be very raw and high risk/high reward coming out this year.
I also think it's worth noting that not a single top QB has prototypical NFL size this year. Howell, Willis, Rattler and Corrall are all 6'0" or 6'1" tops and many of them sit around 200 lbs. I know that players like Baker Mayfield and Kyler Murray have shown that you don't need to be 6'4" to succeed in the NFL, but it is still a considerable weakness that you must overcome with scheming and mobility.
Drafting any of these guys should be viewed as a high risk endeavor that could lead to a 2 to 3 year rebuild; not something that the Steelers' defense would like to do given they are poised right now for the playoffs.
I think the Steelers may want to look at the free agent QB market if they want to take advantage of their defense right now, which is in win now mode. Aaron Rodgers will be available, as will Kirk Cousins, Jameis Winston and Teddy Bridgewater. If they want to win in the near future, that will probably be their best shot.
So, in summary, to answer the question in the OP, If they can nab a Cousins, Bridgewater or Rodgers, they could be competitive next year. If they look towards the draft for their new QB, probably 2023 or 2024 is the next time they have an opportunity to be competitive.
Last year's class was an embarrassment of riches resulting in 5 QBs going in the top 15 and 4 of them starting within week 3 of their rookie seasons (Not that they've been good, but they are good enough to beat out your typical nameless veteran QB anyway)
This coming year's class is looking like just a plain embarrassment. Sam Howell and Spencer Rattler have struggled and, while he has put up gaudy stats against meager competition, Matt Corral had a strictly "meh" game against Alabama.
Malik Willis is looking electric, but he also plays for Liberty and who knows how much talent he actually has vs just beating up on weak competition. I imagine he'd be very raw and high risk/high reward coming out this year.
I also think it's worth noting that not a single top QB has prototypical NFL size this year. Howell, Willis, Rattler and Corrall are all 6'0" or 6'1" tops and many of them sit around 200 lbs. I know that players like Baker Mayfield and Kyler Murray have shown that you don't need to be 6'4" to succeed in the NFL, but it is still a considerable weakness that you must overcome with scheming and mobility.
Drafting any of these guys should be viewed as a high risk endeavor that could lead to a 2 to 3 year rebuild; not something that the Steelers' defense would like to do given they are poised right now for the playoffs.
I think the Steelers may want to look at the free agent QB market if they want to take advantage of their defense right now, which is in win now mode. Aaron Rodgers will be available, as will Kirk Cousins, Jameis Winston and Teddy Bridgewater. If they want to win in the near future, that will probably be their best shot.
So, in summary, to answer the question in the OP, If they can nab a Cousins, Bridgewater or Rodgers, they could be competitive next year. If they look towards the draft for their new QB, probably 2023 or 2024 is the next time they have an opportunity to be competitive.
![[Image: oN5QAdY.png]](https://i.imgur.com/oN5QAdY.png)
