Welcome to Joe Starkey’s mailbag, where the Post-Gazette columnist and 93.7 The Fan radio host answers your questions about sports, life, Lee Flowers and everything in between. If you want to ask Joe a question, tweet him @JoeStarkey1 or email him at jstarkey@post-gazette.com. On to the questions, which this week were spiced with Kenny Pickett talk …
Josh the Hanukkah Celebrating Lawyer, @LegallyJewish: If you’re the Steelers, do you trade up for Kenny Pickett?
Irish Phantom, @SeanOIrish17: what are the chances Steelers can actually grab Kenny Pickett in next year’s draft? Wouldn’t he be picked up before we get to pick?
Starkey: Thank you Josh and IP, for your magnificent questions. It has become evident that Pickett will be a first-round pick. Seems like a very good bet, anyway. Where he will wind up is anyone’s guess. A good number of teams are in need of a quarterback. Those would include the Steelers, unless you’re a big Mason Rudolph fan or believe that Dwayne Haskins is the answer.
The pertinent questions:
1. Will Pickett be available when the Steelers pick?
2. What do the Steelers think of Pickett?
The pertinent answers:
1. We don’t know where the Steelers will pick, but middle of the pack sounds right. I’d rate it a 50/50 shot that Pickett will be available at, say, picks 15-17. Should the Steelers move up to get him? Absolutely, if they believe he’s their guy. If they can move up to get Devin Bush, they can move up to get anyone.
2. The Steelers do not share their internal draft evaluations with me — can you believe it? — and I therefore have no idea what they think of Pickett.
One could make an argument that nine or 10 teams drafting in the top 15 or so would have interest in a quarterback. Might the Cleveland Browns be one of them, depending on Baker Mayfield’s situation?
The Browns would be an ideal fit for Pickett. They have a fairly solid roster, including a high-quality offensive line, and might just be a quarterback away, depending on what you think of Mayfield.
The Steelers would be a good fit, as well. Pickett would have some quality young receivers, perhaps some good pieces along the line (I go back and forth on that every week) and a star running back. The expectations would be enormous, but that would be true anywhere.
OK, maybe a little more here, but Pickett doesn’t strike me as the kind of guy who would wilt under pressure.
Having said all that, I’m not convinced the Browns or Steelers would be looking for a quarterback.
Here are two other teams that Pickett would be lucky to join: Denver or New Orleans.
The Broncos have tons of weapons and a good, young defense. They are very literally a quarterback away from becoming a force in the AFC. In New Orleans, Pickett would land with a quarterback whisperer in Sean Payton.
Mock Drafts are all over the place on potential landing spots for Pickett. A sampling ...
Pro Football Network: Lions, at No. 24.
Pro Football Focus: Texans, at No. 3
CBS Sports: Panthers, at No. 9
NBC Sports: Saints, at No. 13
Sporting News: Steelers, at No. 16
Rich Henderson, @HendriRich: With one faux slide did Kenny Pickett wipe away the stench of:
Scottie Reynolds
Barry Goheen
Dr Ed Bozik
Dwayne wade
Tony Allen
Patrick O’Bryant
Scott Barnes
Antonio Gates
And every other person who has broken the Hearts of Pitt fans through the years?
Starkey: Have you gone nuts, Dr. Henderson? The faux slide was awesome, but let’s settle down here, big guy.
BattlingCyberdemons, @dmchi200802: Given your position on fake slides, do you also oppose play action fakes, pump fakes, and fake blitzes? You must get the vapors after a fake spike.
Starkey: What’s my position on fake slides, BC? Please, tell me. I’m dying to know.
Here’s what I thought of “Pickett’s Bluff” ...
1. It was a spectacular, brilliant move that will go down as one of the most memorable plays in Pitt football history. I also believe it would have been Pickett’s Heisman moment if Bryce Young hadn’t diced up the Georgia defense earlier in the day. I absolutely loved it.
2. It should never be allowed to happen again. There needs to be a rule against it, because it leaves defenders in a no-win situation. The slide allows a quarterback to protect himself. Defenders must lay off as soon as the quarterback goes into it. Would you have blamed a Wake Forest player if he lit up Pickett on a slide (or fake slide) in, say, the second quarter? Your other examples have nothing to do with player safety, BC, although it was an admirable try. That is what makes the quarterback slide different: It is designed to protect the quarterback, not to allow him to abuse it to fool defenders.
The other alternative, of course, is to do away with the slide altogether. That would be fine with me.
Jared Hay, @JaredHay4320: If u had a choice between Aaron Rogers and Russell Wilson (and it) would cost u the same, who do u take?
Starkey: The younger man, Dr. Hay, and that is Wilson by five years. Thank you for asking.
Bobby, @BuStA607: If TJ Watt retired today, where would you have him ranked already out of all the Steeler great linebackers in history?
Starkey: Great question, Bobby! It has my head spinning.
I’m not going to hedge here, either. I will first say that T.J. Watt is the greatest pass rusher in Steelers history. It has taken him a mere 72 games to get to 65 1/2 sacks. Consider that it took the franchise leader, James Harrison, 177 games to get to 80 1/2 (Also fair to mention that sacks were not an official stat way back when, so we don't have accurate numbers for the likes of L.C. Greenwood).
Watt only needs 15 sacks to tie Harrison. At the rate he's going, he might do that Thursday night against the Vikings.
But to your question. I would rank Watt, right now, as the third-greatest linebacker in Steelers history. And I’d like to see him put together some kind of postseason resume before I’d consider moving him up.
1. Jack Lambert
2. Jack Ham
3. T.J. Watt
4. James Harrison
5. James Farrior
Yes, I’m well aware of Greg Lloyd, Kevin Greene, Joey Porter, Andy Russell and Levon Kirkland, among others. I give special mention to LaMarr Woodley (tied for fifth all-time in postseason sacks, with 11 in just seven starts) and Kendrell Bell, whose meteoric rise was cut short by injury.
I just happen to believe Farrior was maybe the most underrated player in team history and an absolute beast on two Super Bowl champions. Pro Football Reference has him as the all-time leading Steelers tackler with 740 solo stops, acknowledging that before 1994, tackle stats were not kept in any kind of official capacity (so we don’t have the numbers of Lambert, Ham, Lloyd, Russell, etc).
I’ll add that Farrior was widely acknowledged as the leader of a consistently elite defense and had 82 tackles for loss, 53 passes defensed, 30 sacks, 12 forced fumbles, 10 fumble recoveries and eight interceptions on his resume.
Gary Martin, @GaryMar29822190: if and when Gino Malkin returns to the lineup how big of an impact is it given his age and injury history?
Starkey: I wish I knew, Dr. Martin. How could I? The man is coming back from a serious knee injury at age 35. I know this: He played through that injury in last year’s playoffs, somehow managed five points in four games and was heavily engaged in Game 6 (remember the hit on Matt Martin?).
In other words, I believe Malkin still has an enormous desire to win. If his knee and the rest of him hold up, I think he will have an enormous impact on the Penguins’ ability to win.
Leon, @Leon42469824: If the Steelers beat the Vikings, Browns and Ravens to finish 9-7-1 do you think they make the playoffs?
Starkey: I do, Dr. Leon42469824, because I believe the other fringe teams — Cincinnati, L.A. Chargers, etc., will finish no better than 9-8.
Mike, @coachpsu316: Not really sports related (but can be), did you have a special holiday memory from growing up? Or one you have made recently?
Starkey: Waking up and seeing my daughter’s face when she spotted the tree halfway down the stairs. That lasted for about eight years, and it was glorious.
Walt Harbaugh, @WaltHarbaugh: Can you name any professional Pittsburgh athletes who played 40+ years ago that would be great in today’s era?
Starkey: I’ll bet Parker, Clemente and Stargell would do OK. Joe Greene, Franco Harris, Jack Lambert, Mel Blount and many, many others, as well, Dr. Harbaugh. BTW, why didn’t you just kick the extra point and go to overtime the other day?
Michael Telek, @mktelek: The fake slide was incredible in person. What are some moments you’ve seen live that have made your jaw drop.
Starkey: Ben tackling Nick Harper. Russell Martin going yard after Cueto dropped the ball. Mario scoring in his first game out of retirement. Darius Kasparaitis crushing Eric Lindros. Mullsy making his ninth straight 3-pointer.
Thank you, kiddies. Also, send me questions (tweet @JoeStarkey1 or email at jstarkey@post-gazette.com). And subscribe to our FREE daily all-sports newsletter, PG Sports Feed.
First Published: December 7, 2021, 5:28 p.m.
