Full of confidence heading into his sophomore season, George Pickens expects to go over the 1,000-yard mark in 2023. Appearing on a training camp edition of Bryant McFadden and Patrick Peterson’s All Things Covered, Pickens offered a prediction for what he’ll accomplish this year.
“Instead of ending with 800, I’ll probably reach that a 1,000 yard mark, 1,100 yard mark,” Pickens told the show. “That’s really what I’ve been working on.”
Despite only 52 receptions as a rookie, he ended 2022 with 801 yards, second on the team only trailing Diontae Johnson. Pickens and Buffalo Bills wide receiver Gabe Davis were the only two players in the league with fewer than 60 receptions but more than 800 yards, highlighting Pickens’ ability as a deep threat (and Pickens didn’t have a 98-yard touchdown like Davis either).
A feast/famine player in 2022, Pickens told McFadden and Peterson he’s working on improving his YAC in order to hit the four-digit mark. Last season, of players with 40-plus receptions, only Marvin Jones had less YAC than Pickens’ 104 and Pickens ranked dead last in YAC-per-reception at just 2.0. Expanding his route tree will allow for more YAC opportunities. So far in camp, Pickens has run a fuller route tree this summer, more than just the vertical guy, and it’s part of his growth process as a second-year player. That’s what can unlock his game from contested-catch machine to elite receiver.
As a team, Pittsburgh will look to improve its YAC after ranking near the bottom of the league in total YAC a year ago and dead last in YAC per reception. Some of that can be fixed by changing route trees, getting Johnson over the middle more often. Some of it too can be improved by individual players honing in on that part of their game, like Pickens becoming more well-rounded.
Pickens will have a friendly battle with Johnson to lead the team in receiving. If both players can crack the 1,000-yard mark, a difficult but plausible task, it’ll be the first time Pittsburgh had a pair of such receivers since 2018 when JuJu Smith-Schuster and Antonio Brown did it. Of course, Pickens and Johnson won’t hit those numbers but if they circle the 1,000-yard figure, it probably means Kenny Pickett and the Steelers pass game took big steps forward.
Catch the whole conversation below.
