Bradshaw to Ben to ?
Doesn’t look like it’s going to be to Kenny (shocking).
The search for Ben’s successor rolls on.
I enjoy the hindsight game as much as the next poster.
Creed Humphrey was served up on a silver platter to be Pouncey’s successor (MUUUUUTH!).
Perhaps a little less obvious at the time, but Lamar Jackson was served up on a silver platter to be Ben’s successor (Sooo glad Terrell Edmunds is from Virginia).
Hopefully, now that Colbert is gone, his BRUTAL history of selecting qbs not named Ben is gone with him.
Landry Jones, Omar Jacobs, Dennis Dixon, Brian St. Pierre, Kenny Pickett, Josh Dobbs, Mason Rudolph etc.
Soooo uninspiringly AWFUL.
Anyway, I was born into QB greatness during a snowstorm in March of 1971 just months after the conclusion of Terry Bradshaw’s forgettable rookie season.
4 Super Bowl wins and 25 years later, the next great Steelers’ quarterback FINALLY arrived.
Suwanee88 and I celebrated the arrival of Big Ben, not with cigars but with beer and wings in his tastefully decorated Steelers’ man cave.
We KNEW the Steelers picked a winner.
Two more Super Bowls followed by a HOF career largely squandered by Tomlin, I not so patiently await the arrival of the next great Steelers’ qb.
I’m 52.
I don’t want to be in a nursing home waiting on Conchita to change my diaper before the Steelers find their next great quarterback.
Being stuck in football purgatory is no fun.
Until Tomlin, Deuce, and Kenny are gone, here we’ll stay.
Doesn’t mean I can’t pontificate about some options to at least ATTEMPT to upgrade the qb position.
The Draft:
Drafting the next franchise qb is what I think we all want.
Not looking like the Steelers are going to find that picking 20th in this year’s draft.
They won’t trade up.
Day 3 dart throw what I’m expecting.
My guess is the Steelers sign a vet FA QB to “compete” with Kenny then take another swing at an early rd qb next year.
Day 1
• The two FUN qbs I see are Caleb Williams and Jayden Daniels.
• Drake Maye a more prototype resume.
Day 2
• I’m a Bo Nix fan. Dig his Auburn Houdini act combined with his more cerebral Oregon approach.
• Michael Penix deep ball prowess abandoned him when I needed it most. Forever dead to me after losing the Natty to scUM.
Day 3 Dart throws
• Spencer Rattler- Too short for my liking, but I can’t get past year’s upset over the heavily favored Vols out of my mind.
• JJ McCarthy- There’s an “it” factor with this kid along with some high-end athleticism. BUT I don’t see anything resembling a special arm talent.
• Michael Pratt- read mixed reviews of the Tulane kid down in Mobile. All these kids late day 3 fliers for me so when you see one that intrigues you shout it out.
• Carter Bradley- Gus’ son showed worthy of late rd dart throw down in Mobile.
• Davius Richard- The last HBCU qb drafted was Tavares Jackson back in 2016. Dual threat type said to impress at Hula Bowl.
UDFA route
• Tua’s little brother- Fun little player, heavy emphasis on the little.
• Jason Bean- Also fun and also too small for my liking.
• Joe Milton- Highly touted recruit with obvious arm talent. No glowing reports coming out of Mobile.
• John Rhys Plumlee- Tremendous athlete. Might want to try a new position or stick to baseball.
• Sam Hartman- This handsome ‘sum bitch has a better shot at becoming a movie star than NFL star.
• Devin Leary/Jack Plummer/Jordan Travis/Austin Reed types may very well get drafted, but I hope not by the Steelers
• Insert slew of B2B names here that I’ll google for the post board mock, wildly fun, whole team draft exercise.
Veteran “Competition” for Kenny
Too expensive:
• Kirk Cousins- If the Steelers had everything BUT the qb, then I could see taking the pricey gamble on Cousins and his shredded achilles.
• Baker Mayfield- I promise you Cool Shades digs him some Baker swag and moxie. Will be overpaid due to dearth of starting caliber talent at the qb position throughout the league.
On the cheap:
• Joe Flacco- You scoff? Pickens running under a Flacco moon ball could be mildly entertaining.
• Jacoby Brissett- Steelers rumored to be interested.
• Tyrod Taylor- He is from Virginia
Trade Targets:
• Justin Fields- I’d like this one more than the rest of y’all save a couple savvy Buckeye posters, but I wouldn’t throw anything more than a 3rd at ‘em.
• Geno Smith- Underwhelmed in Seattle last season. He or Drew Lock could probably be had on the cheap if new head coach Mike McDonald wants to pick his own qb.
• Jake Browning- I can’t see the Bengals trading him given the fragility of Joe Burrow.
Waiver Fodder:
• Russell Wilson- I’m no capologist so I don’t know the ramifications the Broncos would have for flat out releasing Wilson, but I suppose the Steelers could offer a future pick if the Broncos absorbed most of the sticker shock.
• Derrick Carr- For such a subpar talent, this dude sure has been paid a shit-ton of money. Probably cap ramifications here, but if I’m the Saints he gone.
• Jimmy G- Owes Belichick for life for way overselling his qb abilities.
• Sam Howell- Redskins will draft a qb at 2.
QBs with an Andy Weidl connection:
• Gardner Minshew- I see likeability and swagger. Ideal placeholder until our savior arrives in ’25.
• Carson Wentz- Perhaps his brief time with Sean McVay proved valuable.
Uncle Artie’s Boyz:
• Ryan Tannehill- This is of course the obvious connection, but even Artie knows that his reclamation project can’t be reclamated twice.
• Marcus Mariotta- Man I hope this one happens just for the pure comedy of it all. Dude flat out quit on the Falcons after being benched for an equally bad Desmond Ridder.
Colbert Dart Throws:
• Josh Dobbs- Another hard pass for me, but nothing the Steelers do this offseason will remotely shock me.
• Mason Rudolph- kept waiting for him to turn back into a pumpkin. I hope he thumbs his nose at Tomlin and bolts for greener pastures.
Well that’s all the time I have for today. Please comment on the names you like and those you don’t as well as call me out for any omissions. Quarterback OBVIOUSLY the biggest need on the team, but I can’t see the Steelers doing much other than a cheap FA option and/or a day 3 dart throw. I for one will be interested to see if any of the names above find their way into Artie Smith’s qb room this offseason.
