Now that the Pittsburgh Steelers’ 2023 season is getting underway after the team finished above .500 but failing to make the postseason last year, we turn our attention to the next chapter of Steelers football and everything that entails. One thing that it means is that some stock evaluations are going to start taking on more specific contexts as we get into the season, reflecting more immediate plusses and minus rather than trends over long periods. The nature of the evaluation, whether short-term or long-term, will be noted in the reasoning section below.
Player: WR George Pickens
Stock Value: Up
Reasoning: The second-year wide receiver, widely anticipated to explode in 2023, is giving glimpses of what’s to come during training camp. Not only has he continued to make highlight-reel grabs, he is displaying a more complete game, which should be more apparent in the preseason.
Uh, yeah. Duh. George Pickens is dominating training camp. It’s what he does. But even more than last year, it looks like that’s what he’s going to do quite often during the regular season as well. Not only is the wide receiver a genuinely gifted athlete, he knows how to use his body better than just about any other receiver, especially when the ball is in the air. His one-hand ability is also pretty much second to none.
These are all things we’re not just learning for the first time. For the former Georgia Bulldog, it’s always been about the player he can become between the highlights. To his credit, he has dedicated a good deal of time focusing on those areas this offseason, improving his route-running and in setting himself up for yards after the catch.
Just as crucial is the fact that he’s been doing it in close conjunction with QB Kenny Pickett, who has been his most vocal cheerleader all offseason. He has brought up on at least three separate occasions how he’s seen Pickens grow as a route runner. He’s also repeated his willingness to chuck the ball down the field whenever his draft classmate is left one-on-one.
While the majority of the focus is going to be on the spectacular one-handed catch he made in good coverage against rookie CB Joey Porter Jr., the reality is that he has been making plays consistently. He may have a hiccup or two—not reestablishing himself inbounds one time, drawing an offensive pass interference another—but those are teachable moments.
There is still a lot of work ahead of him and he’s got a lot to prove, but Pickens is setting himself up for a great sophomore season. It’s overwhelmingly obvious that he has the talent for it. I believe that he has the quarterback rapport and the necessary talent level from that position to enable that. A big part of the remainder in that equation is just trusting him to make plays even in seemingly impossible situations.
