'We're not closing the door on anything': Steelers owner hints changes could be coming for major position

That might seem like a pretty vague answer, but it is at least pretty telling that he is not completely ruling out the possibility of it. 

Kenny Pickett, the team's first-round pick in 2022, will be entering his third season in the NFL and has not really done much in his first two seasons to establish himself as a franchise quarterback. He plays a safe, relatively mistake-free brand of football, but he has not yet been a difference-maker. He does not lose them games. But he does not really do anything to win them games, either.  

In the AFC, you need a quarterback who can put the team on his back and carry it. Pickett has not yet done that. 

If the Steelers were completely sold on him, Rooney would have almost certainly completely dismissed any suggestion of a trade. He did not. 

The Steelers fully intend to have competition for Pickett in training camp, whether it be re-signing Mason Rudolph or bringing in somebody else, but the thought of them trading for an upgrade on Pickett is also intriguing.

The most obvious trade candidate might be Chicago Bears quarterback Justin Fields. If Chicago keeps the No. 1 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft (likely USC's Caleb Williams), Fields would obviously become expendable. The dual-threat quarterback has better arm talent and passing production than Pickett in his career, while also being a significantly better runner. 

The Steelers have a top-10 defense, two good running backs, talented wide receivers and an improving offensive line. They also won 10 games and made the playoffs in 2023 despite getting some of the league's worst quarterback play. If they could significantly upgrade that position, it might rapidly put them into serious contention in the AFC.