Chris Simms
Chris Simms
Kevin Colbert was an integral part of the Pittsburgh Steelers winning two Super Bowls in the 2000s. However, his last few drafts with the team weren’t great. He missed on several crucial picks, including quarterback Kenny Pickett in the first round. Omar Khan has infused the Steelers’ roster with youth through the draft, but Chris Simms isn’t impressed with those hauls.
“There’s just not a lot of young talent to be excited about,” Simms said Monday on his Unbuttoned podcast. “That’s what I would worry about with the Steelers. There’s just not that many guys where you go, ‘Oh, the future.’ There’s not much to be excited about with them.
“I know they can be good and solid. But part of this time of year is, ‘We’ve got this young guy coming up in the ranks, and this young guy.’ I don’t feel like they have very much to be excited about in general… That’s what I think is a little concerning about Pittsburgh.”
Not all of Khan’s draft picks have been hits. Broderick Jones is a good example. Jones was Khan’s first selection as Pittsburgh’s general manager, and he hasn’t panned out. While Jones is still trying to regain strength after a serious injury last year, he had an ugly outing in the Steelers’ recent preseason game against the New York Jets.
Some of the Steelers’ other young players haven’t looked great this preseason, either. Roman Wilson, a 2024 third-round pick, received rave reviews in training camp, but that hasn’t translated to games. Wilson only has three catches for 23 yards in the team’s two preseason games.
Similarly, 2025 third-round pick Kaleb Johnson appears to be in serious danger of getting cut. He didn’t contribute much as a rookie, and his most notable play was a massive special teams gaffe.
Some of the Steelers’ recent draft picks have been flops. However, they’ve had some hits, too. Zach Frazier is a stud at center. Mason McCormick and Troy Fautanu have played well. Nick Herbig, Darnell Washington, and Keeanu Benton all received contract extensions this offseason. Also, several members of their rookie class flashed in their preseason opener.
The Steelers aren’t as devoid of young talent as Simms believes. While they’ve had some misses, that’s to be expected. Not every draft pick turns out to be a hit.
The biggest issue is that the Steelers don’t have an obvious long-term answer at quarterback. Until they find that, it’s hard to say they’re a serious Super Bowl contender. However, when the Steelers find an exciting young quarterback, that player should step into a solid situation.