The Pittsburgh Steelers have high expectations that quarterback Kenny Pickett is going to be a successful leader in his second year in the league and will be able to lead the team to a memorable season.

However, despite the high expectations of Pickett himself and Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin, not all the critics remain convinced. Former NFL quarterback Dan Orlovsky, now an ESPN analyst, does not believe Pickett or Steelers backup quarterback Mitch Trubisky are much of a threat to join the top quarterbacks in the game.

“Kenny Pickett and Mitch Trubisky are pretty much the same player,” Orlovsky said. “They are guys that are good athletes that use their legs to help them become better players. They are average with their accuracy and mechanically flawed.”

Pickett started 12 games for the Steelers during his rookie season, and his team won 7 of those starts. The most encouraging aspect of that performance is that he was able to guide the Steelers to 4 consecutive wins to close the season.

Orlovsky's  criticism of Pickett seems quite harsh considering that closing stretch. Pickett completed 245 of 389 passes last season for 2,404 yards, but his 7-9 TD to interception ratio needs improvement.

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Tomlin has said that he has seen quite a bit of growth from Kenny Pickett in the offseason and is expecting a more confident and competent signal caller in his second year.

On the other hand, Trubisky has struggled to throw the ball consistently since he was selected with the No. 2 pick in the draft by the Chicago Bears in 2017.