One of the biggest surprises of the 2023 NFL season has been the Pittsburgh Steelers' hot start. No one expected Kenny Pickett to have his squad sitting at 6-3 with a legitimate chance to reach the playoffs. In retrospect, it hasn't been the QB leading Mike Tomlin's team to wins. Even with one of the worst offenses in football, they're still finding ways to win.
Pittsburgh has the 29th-ranked passing offense in football, and they're only averaging 17.3 points per game. Pickett is averaging 179.6 passing yards per game and has only thrown six passing touchdowns. The second-year QB isn't hurting the Steelers, but he's not helping them win.
Tomlin's defense has what it takes to play with the best, and they're getting better and better each week. In their last seven games, the Steelers have allowed less than 20 points six times.
It's hard to argue that Pittsburgh wouldn't have an even better record with an established QB. If the Steelers continue to overcome below-average QB play, then they should be all in on finding a new signal caller to lead them to the promised land.
Whether the Steelers have to trade for or sign Pickett's replacement this offseason, it should be a top priority. With that being said, here are three QBs that could get Pittsburgh to the Super Bowl next season:
Some Kenny Pickett replacements the Steelers should consider
3. Sign Kirk Cousins
Almost every contending team with a question mark at the QB position will be in on the Kirk Cousins sweepstakes. Before going down with a torn Achilles in Week 8, the 35-year-old QB was playing an MVP level.
In his eight games with the Minnesota Vikings this season, Cousins threw for 2,331 yards, along with 18 passing touchdowns. Pickett has played nine games so far this season and only has 1,616 passing yards.
Cousins thrived with Justin Jefferson as his top receiver in Minnesota. The Steelers have a similar weapon, as George Pickens is one of the most skilled receivers in football.
With how Pittsburgh has looked this season, it's not wild to think they can compete for a Super Bowl in the upcoming years. With Pickett under center though, it could hold the Steelers back from winning the big games.
Cousins has accomplished a lot in the NFL, but he's never reached a Super Bowl. He's still hungry to get there though, and the Steelers could be the perfect fit for the veteran QB to do so.
2. Sign Joshua Dobbs
In the 2017 NFL Draft, the Steelers used their fourth-round pick to select Joshua Dobbs. He never got the chance to start with Pittsburgh, but now he's getting his opportunity this season. Dobbs hasn't disappointed this season, as he has a total of 16 touchdowns.
The 28-year-old QB is showing everyone what he can do, as he lit it up with the Arizona Cardinals before the Vikings decided to trade for him. Dobbs has led Minnesota to two straight victories since coming over, and people are starting to take notice.
In his most recent game, the former Tennesee QB completed 23/34 of his passes for 268 yards and a touchdown. Dobbs also had 44 rushing yards and a rushing touchdown to go with his elite passing performance.
If the new Vikings QB continues to play at a high level, he will be receiving a ton of phone calls this offseason. The Steelers should most definitely be one of those teams contacting Dobbs this offseason.
1. Trade for Dak Prescott
The Dallas Cowboys made an interesting move earlier in the year when they traded for the former third-overall pick Trey Lance. It sparked rumors of Dak Prescott's time in Dallas coming to a close. They would need to trade the veteran QB, as releasing him wouldn't make any sense.
Not many teams would be willing to take on Prescott's contract, as he's owed a ton of money over the next few seasons. It would only make sense for the teams that feel they're a QB away from becoming a contender. The Steelers seem like one of those teams.
In nine games this season, the 30-year-old QB has thrown 17 touchdowns and tallied 2,415 passing yards. Prescott went off in his most recent game, throwing for over 400 yards and four touchdowns. He also completed 26/35 of his passes.
Prescott is still one of the NFL's top QBs, but he's been with the Cowboys for eight seasons. They haven't reached the NFC Championship with the former fourth-round pick, and we all know Jerry Jones wants championships.
We see great QBs leave the team they were drafted by and thrive all the time. Matthew Stafford, Tom Brady, and Peyton Manning are all recent examples of QBs who had successful second stints.
It would likely take a lot for the Steelers to convince the Cowboys to trade Prescott to them. A trade for the 30-year-old would be a blockbuster one, but it would give the Steelers a real shot at contending for a Super Bowl.