The hiring of Arthur Smith as offensive coordinator indicates that the Steelers should consider signing this quarterback.
The Pittsburgh Steelers announced Arthur Smith as their new offensive coordinator on Tuesday, ending a search that included Jarod Johnson of the Houston Texans, Jack Robinson of the Los Angeles Rams and several other candidates. Smith’s appointment comes amid significant uncertainty surrounding the Steelers position. Future attack strategy.
The focus now turns to the potential quarterback race, which includes a group of contenders that could include Kenny Pickett and Ryan Tannehill.Tannehill enjoyed significant success during Smith’s 2019-2020 tenure as the Tennessee Titans’ offensive coordinator. Over those two seasons, Tannehill has recorded 55 tackles and 13 interceptions, a significant improvement over his numbers in Miami, where he recorded 36 tackles and 21 interceptions the past two seasons.
At Tennessee, Smith’s offense relied heavily on quarterback Derrick Henry, who opened up opportunities in the passing game for Tannehill. Smith, who was recently fired as the head coach of the Atlanta Falcons in early January, played a key role in relaunching Tannehill’s career and improving the overall performance of the Titans offense.
In the 2019 playoffs, Tannehill led the Titans to victories over the New England Patriots and first-place Baltimore Ravens before losing to the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC Championship Game. Tannehill was named Comeback Player of the Year by the Associated Press and Pro Football Writers of America for his impressive comeback that season.Tannehill, who will become a free agent this offseason in 2023, had a breakout season with four touchdowns and seven tackles before being replaced by rookie Will Lewis. Meanwhile, the status of the Steelers’ backup quarterback is unclear. The Mitch Trubisky experiment didn’t pay off, and the Steelers are expected to release him to create salary cap space.
Mason Rudolph, who performed well toward the end of the season, could also become a free agent and leave the Steelers.Even though Tannehill, an 11-year veteran, is nearing the end of his career, his familiarity with Smith’s offensive scheme makes him an interesting selection for the Steelers.
With a strong running game in which Naji Harris and Jaylen Warren combined for 1,819 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns in 2023, the Steelers can ease the pressure on Tannehill.
Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said he plans to start picketing in 2024, but with the competition in place. Tannehill may not be a long-term solution at quarterback, but his presence and a late selection in the 2024 NFL Draft could improve Pickett’s performance.
