Pittsburgh Steelers Kenny Pickett. Michael Longo/For USA Today Network / USA TODAY NETWORK

Steelers rookie Kenny Pickett graded as top-three QB in NFL

By Aaron Becker | Last updated 12/30/22

Steelers QB Kenny Pickett endured early season struggles, but the rookie seems to have turned a corner.

Over the past five weeks, Pro Football Focus has him graded as a top-three quarterback.

Highest graded QBs since Week 12:

Joe Burrow - 90.9
Trevor Lawrence - 88.1
KENNY PICKETT - 84.0 pic.twitter.com/fz223VmGeu
— PFF PIT Steelers (@PFF_Steelers) December 28, 2022

Pickett finds himself behind only Joe Burrow and Trevor Lawrence, two former first overall picks who continue to rise in the NFL's QB rankings.

Since Week 12, Pickett is 3-1. He suffered a concussion and exited early in the Steelers' Week 14 game, his one loss, and missed their Week 15 matchup as well.

Through his past four games, the rookie quarterback has thrown for 615 yards, two touchdowns and just one interception.

There were mixed reviews when the Steelers drafted Pickett in the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft. But he has silenced those critics and given his team a slim shot at the playoffs with two weeks to go.

Steelers fans and media who didn’t want Kenny Pickett. Who would you rather have right now? Tyler Linderbaum. OK. Then what are you doing at QB next year? Mitch Trubisky? Derek Carr? Drafting someone? You’ve got the 16th pick right now. Stroud and Young will be gone.
— Andrew Fillipponi (@ThePoniExpress) December 28, 2022

Although it's unlikely Pittsburgh makes the postseason, the Steelers just have their franchise quarterback.

Steelers have four more years of Kenny Pickett on his rookie deal.

This should be a massive offseason for the Steelers if they want to make a push
— Michael Beck (@MichaelBeck56) December 29, 2022

Teams that ride with their rookie quarterbacks typically deal with the ups and downs that come with it. But it seems the Steelers are finally on the "up."

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