The Steelers held their formal press conference yesterday to make official the signing of Russell Wilson as a free agent and to make official the Russell Wilson Era, as described in this piece four days ago. That wasn't the bombshell, however. That exploded a few hours later with this news:
No one new that the beginning of the Wilson Era would mean the end of the Kenny Pickett Era. It has been hinted in the media that Pickett's reaction to the Wilson signing was not at all positive. Not unexpected, of course, but it apparently went even beyond competitive issues, and it makes one believe that keeping Pickett would not have been a good thing for the chemistry in the locker room. So, the team made this move and sent the Number One draft choice of just two years ago to the Eagles for a couple of draft picks.
Coupled wth the release earlier in the off season of Mitch Trubisky and Mason Rudolph's signing as a free agent with the Titans this week, the Steelers now have one QB on the roster. It seems critical now that the team draft a QB in this year's draft, someone who could be groomed as the 36 year old Wilson's heir apparant and probably sign a mid-level experienced QB (Ryan Tannehill?) to back up Wilson. They will also no doubt bring in a Duck Hodges-type as an extra arm for training camp. Speculation also hangs over the whole thing that the Bears may still be shopping Justin Fields, and might he be the Steelers long range answer for the QB spot?
In other Steelers news, former Ravens linebacker Patrick Queen was signed as free agent, and he too was introduced at that Steelers presser yesterday. The Steelers have yet to adequately fill the spot left open due to Ryan Shazier's injury of a few years back, and this signing can only be a positive for the team.
The team also made a trade with Miami, and received defensive back DeShon Elliott in exchange for WR Dionte Johnson. One report stated that the team wanted to shed themselves of Johnson so that his diva tendencies would not rub off on George Pickens. Sort of Branch Rickey's old "addition by subtraction" adage.
I have written extensively of Pickett over the years, dating back to his Pitt years. How great a story it would have been had it worked out the way that everyone hoped. I wish him well in Philly where he will be behind Jalen Hurts on the Eagles depth chart, and Hurts, we know, is no Mitch Trubisky, so we can't expect to see Pickett play a lot in Philly.
Oh, and here is a picture from today holding my birthday present from two years ago. It was gift that Linda was excited to give me, and I was a most enthusiastic recipient. Ashes to ashes, dust to dust....
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