In case you haven’t heard, the Steelers have a huge question at quarterback that desires to be answered in the next two months. Kenny Pickett is the solely quarterback presently under contract, but he was outplayed by way of third-string Mason Rudolph ultimate year. While re-signing impending free agent Mason Rudolph may want to be the Steelers’ answer to the quarterback conundrum, it’s nevertheless controversial if that’s the exceptional option. With that, country wide media has pegged just about each and every doubtlessly on hand quarterback as a viable target for the Steelers this offseason.
Not each and every quarterback matches each and every offense, and the Steelers employed Arthur Smith to run the offense going forward. How may Pickett, Rudolph, and different quarterbacks doubtlessly on the Steelers’ radar would suit into this new fashion offense?
Arthur Smith’s offensive tendencies
New OC Arthur Smith prefers a wonderful style of offense based totally on his two years as the Titan offensive coordinator and three years as the Falcon head coach, and that fashion favors some quarterbacks over others. Smith likes to run the ball and make use of two ideas the Steelers used very little closing year with Rudolph and Pickett — a quarterback lined up below center and play action passes.
Per Pro Football Reference, which will be used for all stats referenced all through this article, Smith’s last product with the Tennessee Titans used the quarterback beneath middle on 34% of the passing snaps while the use of play motion (including shotgun play action) on 32% of the passing snaps.
Similarly, the last version of his offense in Atlanta used under-center formations on 32% of passing performs and play action on 25%. This is a monumental shift from the 2023 Steelers, who used these ideas on 11.5% and 13% of plays, respectively.
Comparison of trip in an Arthur Smith-type offense
Now, let’s seem to be at the ride of six of the Steelers’ viable choices at quarterback in the coming season to see who may be the most relaxed with the style of offense Smith will possibly execute with the Steelers.
Here’s a look at quarterback under-center passing snaps versus play action from 2023 (including shotgun play action) as a proportion of every quarterback’s complete ignore plays. Numbers are rounded to the nearest share point.Â