Mike Tomlin plans on giving Kenny Pickett all the preseason reps he needs

As the Pittsburgh Steelers gear up for preseason play, fans can expect see Kenny Pickett on the field. Although some teams such as the Jets and 49ers have revealed plans to rest their starting QBs, Steelers coach Mike Tomlin confirmed Wednesday that Pickett will play.

It’s still unclear exactly how much action Pickett will see, as Tomlin only said the team will “give him what he needs.” That’s apparently the plan for several other starters as well.

“We’ll play it by ear. We’ll give him what he needs,” Tomlin said of Pickett. “That’s always my mentality. I’m open to all that are healthy playing. How much they play will be determined what it is they need for it to be a productive step in the process for them, or week. And then we’ll deal with next week, next week.”

The No. 20 overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, Pickett played in all three of Pittsburgh’s preseason games as a rookie. Although he began the regular season as a backup to Mitch Trubisky, Pickett took over in the second half of a Week 4 game against the Jets and remained the starter for the rest of the season.

Although he started off slow with eight interceptions in his first five games, he came on over the back half of the year to lead Pittsburgh to a 5-0 record to close out the year. He ended the year with 2,404 yards passing, seven touchdowns, and nine interceptions.

As he hopes to carry over that momentum into his second season, it could be valuable for Pickett to get some reps in the preseason. The Steelers also still have Trubisky and Mason Rudolph from this past season and added undrafted rookie Tanner Morgan.

All those players should also play as Tomlin explained his preseason philosophy has always been to work in a little bit of everyone.

“I know there are different approaches to the preseason and I respect the approaches and opinions of others,” Tomlin said. “But that’s kind of always been in my comfort zone — if we’re going to box, we have to spar. If we need to get ready for the regular season, then preseason is an avenue in which to do it for individuals and collectives.”

The Steelers are set to kick off the first of their three preseason games at 6 p.m. Friday against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. They’ll later begin the regular season on Sept. 10 in a matchup with the 49ers.