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The Pittsburgh Steelers have a few options for adding quarterbacks this offseason to complement Kenny Pickett. The best guess, though, is that the Steelers are thinking about more measured, discreet upgrades rather than spectacular deals, given how the team has publicly addressed its problem behind center this offseason.
It is possible to select a quarterback on the third day of the draft if that is the case.
On February 20, Ryan Wilson of CBS Sports talked about that possibility and linked the Steelers to South Carolina quarterback Spencer Rattler during his broadcast on 93.7 The Fan.
According to Wilson, “I look at a guy like Spencer Rattler,” on 93.7 the Fan. Rattler is more proficient with his hands than Kenny Pickett.
“It’s not even near.”
In 2023, Rattler finished with 3,186 yards, 19 touchdowns, and 8 interceptions on 68.9% of his passes. He completed 48 college games with 10,807 yards passing.
Steelers Previously Floated as Spencer Rattler’s Landing Place
Wilson is hardly the first to associate Rattler with the Steelers. On February 2, Ray Fittipaldo of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette proposed Rattler as a possible draft choice for the Steelers.
Fittipaldo said on February 2 that Rattler was a “young phenom, throwing for 116 touchdowns on his way to becoming the consensus No. 1 quarterback in the 2019 recruiting class.” “Five years after a turbulent college career, he’s holding onto his dream of being an NFL player.”
In 2020, Rattler shone as a redshirt freshman at Oklahoma. Analysts projected him to be a Heisman Trophy contender in 2021, following in the footsteps of Kyler Murray and Baker Mayfield.
Rather, after five games, Oklahoma benched Rattler in favor of Caleb Williams, the overwhelming favorite to be the first overall choice in the 2024 NFL draft. After that, Rattler relocated to South Carolina.
Rattler completed his undergraduate career with the Gamecocks, throwing 37 touchdowns and 20 interceptions.
Rattler performed poorly in college, but his athletic attributes may draw interest from NFL teams this spring.
Ian Cummings of Pro Football Network stated that Rattler “grades out as an early Day 3 prospect in the 2024 NFL Draft, but he could feasibly rise into Day 2 range with a good offseason.” Rattler has the physical attributes to become a starter in the future, but his profile at this point in his career is that of a developing quarterback with backup usefulness.
Rattler possesses near-elite arm skill, which is the result of a combination of strong arm strength and varied angle freedom, as one could anticipate from a once highly regarded recruit. He has good baseline accuracy and is a fluid off-platform toss in addition to being a reliable mechanical quarterback in the pocket.
The Steelers’ quarterback, Kenny Pickett,
Drafting Rattler would be a wise move if the Steelers decide to re-sign Mason Rudolph, as they have stated they would like to do.
Rudolph and Pickett would face off for the starting position in 2024 if Rudolph were to return. Irrespective of the outcome of the competition, Rudolph and Pickett would rank as Pittsburgh’s top two quarterbacks.
Rattler, the third-best signal caller, would provide long-term gains. The Steelers may work on Rattler’s cerebral game while seated behind Pickett and Rudolph in the hopes of eventually combining it with his athletic skills.
This plan might also succeed if Sam Darnold or Ryan Tannehill were to challenge Pickett for the starting job as quarterback.
The Benefits and Drawbacks of the Steelers’ Rattler Targeting
Naturally, creating Rattler is a more difficult task than it seems.
Quarterbacks on Day 3 seldom go on to become Super Bowl candidates. Perhaps the most recent example of it is Brock Purdy, a 2022 seventh-round selection.
But Purdy’s growth has been greatly aided by San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan and his outstanding offensive staff. The coaching staff support that the Steelers can provide to their quarterbacks is insufficient.
Rattler and Purdy are also not very comparable as young quarterbacks. Purdy’s quick thinking allows him to succeed as San Francisco’s starter despite lacking many physical tools.
Rattler did not exhibit superior judgment while attending college.
It’s possible that the Steelers will select a quarterback in the third round of the draft. Whether it’s Rattler probably depends on how things work out in April with the draft board.
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