Steelers' next OC could be connected to a veteran QB

Although the Pittsburgh Steelers made the playoffs and Mike Tomlin is sticking around as head coach for at least one more year, they are embarking on an offseason with many questions. Two of their biggest concerns — quarterback and offensive coordinator — are intertwined. 

On Thursday, Tomlin made two things clear about the team's plans. First, the Steelers will be looking outside the building to fill the OC position. And, most importantly, 2022 first-round pick Kenny Pickett has a leg up to be the starting quarterback, although he will face competition for the role. 

Tomlin said the team will not "anoint" Pickett as the starter, adding he hopes that competition for him comes from Mason Rudolph, who went 3-0 in the regular season as the starter but is a free agent this offseason.

So, with the likelihood of Pittsburgh's next OC being someone new and Rudolph's future in Pittsburgh uncertain, it's time to look at some possibilities.

Based on the uncertainty of who else will be in the quarterback room with Pickett, it's possible the OC could come with a veteran quarterback who has experience running his system. That QB probably would come on a tier below former Pro Bowlers Kirk Cousins (pending free agent) and Russell Wilson (out of favor in Denver). 

One attractive name for OC, although one that might be the least realistic, is Eric Bieniemy. He's still under contract with the Commanders, who are in the market for a new head coach after firing Ron Rivera.

If the Steelers were to target Bieniemy, a veteran quarterback option could be Jacoby Brissett. The 31-year-old NFL journeyman spent this past season with Washington as Sam Howell's backup. 

While Bieniemy may have lost steam as a head-coaching candidate around the league, he still coordinated a Washington offense in which Howell threw for 3,946 and 21 touchdowns in his second season in the league.

Another possible OC candidate is Klint Kubiak, the son of former NFL head coach Gary Kubiak. While Gary's coaching career is over, his son's is on the rise. Klint serves as the 49ers passing game coordinator.

If Kubiak were to go to Pittsburgh, 49ers backup QB Sam Darnold — a former first-round pick and pending free agent — might make sense for the Steelers. The third overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft might be viewed as a bust, but he's only one year older than Pickett, who's 25. 

Another potential candidate is former Texans offensive coordinator Pep Hamilton, who now works for NFL Network after not being retained in Houston last year. The Steelers showed interest in Hamilton in 2021.

If Pittsburgh were to land Hamilton, current Giants backup QB Tyrod Taylor might make sense for the Steelers, too. Hamilton worked with Taylor in 2020 with the Chargers.

No matter what happens in the offseason, it's likely the third quarterback to join Pickett and a veteran will be a draft pick. The Steelers hold the 20th pick in the first round of the draft, set for April 25 in Detroit.