It’s the most wonderful moment of the NFL offseason when all the predictions are correct.
No one can be wrong for at least four months.
It’s worth noting as the latest BetMGM odds draft Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Kenny Pickett as the 2023 Offensive Rookie of the Year.
His odds are better than Atlanta Falcons receiver Drake London, Tennessee Titans receiver Treylon Burks and New York Jets receiver Garrett Wilson.
Kenny Picket leads the ratings for Offensive Rookie of the Year. Who would you choose?
Kenny Picket +500
Drake London +650
Treylon Burk +750
Garrett Wilson +800(Odds via @BetMGM) pic.twitter.com/KbJ6hd78IK
— Audacy Sports (@AudacySports) May 5, 2022
Current OROTY is a wide receiver
Ironically, the 2022 Offensive Rookie of the Year is Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase.
Message of Appreciation from Ja’Marr Chase 🐅
– Most rec yards by a rookie in regular season history in the SB era (1,455)
– Most rush yards by a rookie in playoff history (368)
– Most rec yards in a single game by a rookie (266 vs. Chiefs Wk 17)
– OROTY
– 2nd Team All-ProA bright future ahead of us pic.twitter.com/RmeXLARstr
— Pickswise (@Pickswise) February 14, 2022
Chase’s 2021 draft class was filled with quarterback talent including Trevor Lawrence, Zach Wilson, Justin Fields and Mac Jones.
Even with this tight quarterback competition, a wide receiver has always prevailed as OROTY.
Easier for the wide receiver to win the prize
Let’s face it, it’s easier for novice receivers to come into the NFL and make an immediate impact.
Pair them up with veteran quarterbacks and they can go for the races.
The 2022 draft class is deep with wide receiving talent, so it’s not hard to imagine a wide receiver winning the prize again in 2023.
Back to Pickett
Pickett is the sentimental favorite of Pitt Panthers and Steelers fans.
He played his home college games at Heinz Field and is a familiar face to Steelers coaches and players.
That all sounds good, except it’s yet to be determined if he’ll be the Steelers QB1 in 2022.
After all, the team signed Mitchell Trubisky who is the leading candidate for the job.
Mason Rudolph is also on the list.
That means Pickett must win the job this spring and summer.
After getting the job, he has to play light football a year after the end of the Roethlisberger era in order to win OROTY.
The best thing I’ve heard about Pitt QB Kenny Pickett comes from one of Pitt’s coaches – that the game slows down for him in big moments. Has the ability to deal clearly when the going gets tough. The Steelers have seen it with their own eyes for years.
— Jeremy Fowler (@JFowlerESPN) April 29, 2022
It’s a tall order, but not impossible.
At this time of year, punters know as much as the rest of us, but it’s always fun to see what they come up with.
The proof is in the pudding so in nine months if Pickett is actually called the OROTY they will look like geniuses.
We will see.
Sports Grp2
