Welcome to Brian Batko’s Steelers mailbag. You can submit your questions to Brian directly @BrianBatko on X and bbatko@post-gazette.com.
Marvin P: I believe the Steelers’ biggest deficiency is the lack of quarterback succession planning. After being in franchise quarterback wilderness for 21 years between Bradshaw and Ben, I would have thought they would have looked at that experience and planned better when it was clear Ben was on the downside of his career. Instead, in 2018, Ben was 36 years old and they took Terrell Edmunds, a guy no longer in the league, over Lamar Jackson. In that same draft they took Mason Rudolph, a player who they allegedly had a first round grade on. Not to be undone, in 2020, they bypassed Jalen Hurts for Chase Claypool; another player who’s no longer in the league. By then, they had enough evidence to know Rudolph wasn’t the heir apparent. I’ve seen interviews where Hurts believed he’d be drafted by the Steelers. Further, I understand Tomlin, at the season end press conference, when asked about the quarterback position, specifically mentioned Hurts wasn’t a first round pick. I would have loved it if someone pointed out they passed on Hurts and the Eagles took him 4 picks later. The Eagles, by the way, emphasize succession planning. They drafted Kevin Kolb when McNabb was there. They drafted Hurts when Carson Wentz was there. Look at their continuity. The Eagles aren’t the only franchise that manages quarterback succession. The Packers are the gold standard of quarterback succession planning. Further, look at the move the Falcons made with Penix. The pick was widely panned by a lot of people; yet, while it’s too early to say Penix will be successful in Atlanta, imagine what they would look like if they hadn’t taken Penix? Their options at the quarterback position this offseason would mirror the Steelers. I’ll close by saying we often hear the NFL is a copycat league. Why aren’t the Steelers and other franchises managing their quarterback position the Green Bay does?
Brian: It’s easy to say they should be, Marvin. And the answer to the mailbag headline question is an obvious yes, I suppose.
But let’s back up a minute — or, like, several years — and try to compartmentalize. Hindsight is 20-20. That 2018 team and the preceding teams were considered by many to be annual Super Bowl contenders. Ben Roethlisberger was in the midst of a prolific run. I don't think it was unreasonable to suggest that the Steelers should’ve been adding win-now pieces rather than long-term building blocks.
Your best argument might actually be 2018, though, because Terrell Edmunds was such a reach even at the time. None of the inside linebackers fell to No. 28, but Jackson did. It was almost like the football universe begging the Steelers to take the big swing. Mason Rudolph didn’t appear to be a bad consolation prize at the time.
In 2020, though? Roethlisberger was coming back from the elbow surgery, the buzz was buzzing about how good he felt, and the thinking was that he didn’t have to be his pre-injury self if they could just get him another top-notch member of the supporting cast at receiver. And Chase Claypool looked to be a great pick, actually, until he drank his own Kool-Aid too fast.
As for the Eagles, things have worked out with Jalen Hurts, certainly, but they have as many Super Bowl rings with their philosophy as the Steelers do in the past 20 years. The Packers have one, and as bright as the future appears with Jordan Love, there’s no guarantee they get over the hump. It’s just as possible they’ll be wondering in Green Bay if he’s good enough to be that guy.
Sometimes, I think the short-sighted view of quarterback planning isn’t the worst way to go. The Bengals stunk and Joe Burrow was right there waiting for them at No. 1 overall. The Commanders and Texans stunk and it just so happened that Jayden Daniels and C.J. Stroud were the best No. 2 guys in a draft we’ve seen since Donovan McNabb. On my “Chipped Ham & Football” show this week, a fun conversation with former Eagles scout John Middlekauff eventually led to us discussing why some teams are willing to make those kinds of moves and others are more hesitant, if you want to check it out here.
Timsy M: While I personally prefer the Steelers take a shot with Fields next season, I wonder why nobody seems to point out that during Wilson's five-game slide, George Pickens was either absent, injured, or just played poorly. If Wilson had Pickens at his best perhaps the losing streak isn't as bad, and what if we actually had a legitimate number two receiver during that time?
Brian: Not a bad point, Timsy — love the name, by the way — but are we going to act like George Pickens wasn’t playing in a glass case of emotion against the Colts and Cowboys? Those were back-to-back losses early in the season and the only two losses for the Steelers when Justin Fields was starting.
Pickens put up season highs in Indianapolis but also had the lost fumble and a brutal drop. He was less than locked-in the following week against Dallas, more concerned with what he’d write on his eye black — messed that up, by the way — than running crisp routes.
As much as I hear you on Russell Wilson not having Pickens to throw to in Philadelphia or Baltimore the first time, that doesn't absolve him of the mistakes he made in those games. Fields didn’t have any more of a No. 2 receiver in his stint than Wilson did at the end.
David R: Do you think some of these guys who are swept to the curb after their first contracts still have the potential to be franchise quarterbacks? Specifically, why not Fields? They used to say that it takes a quarterback 5 years to develop in the NFL. This is Fields’ fifth year. In my convoluted fashion I guess I’m asking: Do you think the odds of Fields becoming the answer at QB is greater than the Steelers being in position to draft a prospect with an elite skill set, and then having that QB succeed?
Brian: Yes, David, I do. That’s why I wrote almost exactly that about Fields late last week.
Now, I’m not naive to the fact that draft pedigree tends to dictate our feelings about players well into their NFL career, consciously or subconsciously. Those guys just get more chances than a late-round pick or undrafted free agent who doesn't catch on quickly.
But it’s not just because life’s not fair. The reason for that is the attributes that generally made those first-round castoffs major investments by teams in the first place. General managers, scouts and coaches who have spent their entire professional lives searching for that 6-foot-3, 225-pound rocket-armed quarterback with a 4.46 40 time are going to find it hard to quit on that.
And hey, I just described Justin Fields. He has just about everything, but does he have “it,” as in the “it factor” — pocket presence, clutch gene, defensive diagnosis, all that good stuff? I’m not ruling it out just yet.
Bruce C: I would love to see Aaron Rodgers come to the Steelers but honestly think it would be a waste of time and talent as long as Tomlin is the head coach. However, I am curious what you think about this: Aaron Rodgers to the Niners (his hometown). All in to win a Super Bowl. The oft injured anyway Brock Purdy sits for a year. Thanks and take care.
Brian: You’re one of the few fans I hear that from, Bruce. Even people who may have been enamored with Aaron Rodgers this time a couple of years ago have to be at least somewhat concerned by how his Jets tenure played out.
Your suggestion would be a great story, considering the saga on his draft night involving Alex Smith, the 49ers, the Packers and the green room. But that’d be a tough deal for Brock Purdy in the last year of his Mr. Irrelevant-sized rookie contract. Here are my personal rankings of where I’d like to see Aaron Rodgers play next season, from least to most:
5. Steelers
4. 49ers
3. Browns
2. Nowhere
1. The UFL
First Published: February 20, 2025, 10:30 a.m.
