When Kevin Colbert took over as Steelers director of football operations in 2000, he ushered in an era where the team was more secretive with its offseason plans than at any time in its history.
In his 22 years in his role of running the team's drafts, Colbert rarely, if ever, mentioned a specific player by name. But he did so at his pre-NFL Scouting Combine press conference when he brought up Pitt quarterback Kenny Pickett.
"Obviously we watched a great quarterback, Kenny Pickett," Colbert said. "I don't like to talk about individual players, but I think it's such a unique situation that the season that he had for Pitt, and you have to acknowledge that and congratulations to Kenny, congratulations to Pitt. But this group is there's good players in it. And there's good players that all have a different skill set. And that's what was really unique about watching them compete at the Senior Bowl because the majority of them were there. So, they're all different. And I know that some of them will be starting quarterbacks, winning quarterbacks, and that's exciting."
The Steelers are obviously in the market for a quarterback to potentially replace Ben Roethlisberger after he retired at the end of the 2021 season following 18 years with the team.
Colbert, while mentioning Pickett by name, also mentioned another quarterback several times during his 30-minute session with the media Monday -- current backup Mason Rudolph.
Rudolph, a third-round draft pick in 2018, is under contract for the 2022 season after signing an extension last offseason. And 2021 No. 3 quarterback, Dwayne Haskins is slated to be a restricted free agent. But Colbert said the Steelers will tender him an offer to retain his rights for next season.
But the Steelers also will add two more quarterbacks to the roster. As they always do, they'll take four to training camp. But that doesn't mean that all four will be in competition for the starting spot.
That means the Steelers are unlikely to acquire a veteran quarterback via free agency or trade and then also select one early in the draft.
"We have Dwayne and we have Mason, can we add to that group from the outside? Sure," Colbert said. "I mean, we'll always look at trades. We'll always look at unrestricted groups, potential cuts down the road and make those comparisons and compare what it's going to cost us either from a draft compensation or from a free agency cap availability decision and what that would do to the rest of your team. So, the more would create better competition, but is it going to be realistically workable? I don't think so."
The Steelers will hold their free agency meetings as an organization starting Tuesday and running through Thursday. They'll look at every position and rank potential additions.
Then, they'll weigh the cost of acquiring those players once the free agency period begins March 16 against waiting until the draft April 28 to try to bring in a rookie quarterback.
Obviously, there is a timeframe factor involved. By signing a veteran quarterback to compete with Rudolph and Haskins for the starting job, the Steelers would be guaranteeing they get the kind of competition they want at the position. If they pass on free agency, it could force them to make a move to acquire a player such as Pickett, Liberty's Malik Willis or one of the other top quarterbacks in this draft.
"We know we’re going to add to the position. I can’t tell you how at this point," Colbert said. "We will go to camp with four. If we had to start a season today with Mason as our starter, let’s go. Let’s try to build the best team we can around him, and that’s just the way it is. Mason is 5-4-1 as a starter. One of those games this year, he found out he was going to be the starter Saturday night, and he tried to give us what he could. We almost won that game, we didn’t. So, I’m comfortable that Mason has won more games than he’s lost as a starter. Where that can go, we’ll see. To be an NFL starter you can win with, you’ve got to prove it over 16 games, and I’m anxious to see that if that’s the case."
Willis is one of the more interesting players available in this year's draft. He's expected to run a sub-4.5-second 40-yard dash at the NFL Scouting Combine next week and is a player with a strong arm, as well. He, Pickett and Mississippi's Matt Corral are vying to be the first quarterback selected in this year's draft. None are considered top-5 draft picks, but that doesn't mean they don't have a chance to be long-term starters in the NFL.
Corral, an underclassman, was the only one of the top five or six quarterbacks in this draft that wasn't at the Senior Bowl. But he is expected to be at the NFL Scouting Combine. And on-campus pro days also will offer an opportunity for teams to get another look at this quarterback group.
Mike Tomlin has stated that having a quarterback with more mobility is something that is attractive to him. But given Roethlisberger's relative lack of mobility in recent years, any number of quarterbacks would fit that bill for the Steelers, who want to utilize more play-action and rollouts in offensive coordinator Matt Canada's offense.
But that doesn't mean that mobility will be the only factor the Steelers look for at the position.
"No, I mean we talk about mobility and mobility is a key part of any quarterback," Colbert said. "But we're also just going to look at who's the best at that position because each and every one of them has a different skill set. And I think to prioritize one over another. I think you'll be blind in just truly evaluating what a given player can do. If he's a great thrower. He's a great thrower. If he's a great runner, and thrower maybe that's a bonus, but I think we're always going to just truly evaluate that player and not go into it with specific ideas about who is the best."
It should make for an interesting next couple of months as the Steelers navigate what they want to do at the position.
Colbert, who will step down as GM following this year's draft when his contract runs out, said he spent more time this year evaluating the position than he has in previous years.
"We kind of knew that this would be Ben's last season and not that we never scouted that position before, but we spent a lot of time evaluating that position, myself included," Colbert said. "Of all the top guys we've seen them play live several times. So, we're trying to do everything that we have done, and we really haven't done anything different. I'm going into this as if we're not worried about what's next, we're worried about what's current."
The current is Rudolph. But that doesn't mean that will be the team's lone option at quarterback when the regular season begins. He will, however, be a part of it.
"If we started a season today Mason would be our starter and we're excited to see where that can go," Colbert said. "And if we add to that position, we're going to look at every possible avenue, as we really do for every other position, but again, a quarterback is unique.
"Dwayne Haskins came in and did some nice things throughout the season as a scout team quarterback. He played some in a preseason, and we're excited to see what Dwayne can provide either from competition or maybe he evolves as a starter. None of us know at this point. I think it'll be a great training camp for those two, and for whatever player we're able to add in that mix."
