The Pittsburgh Steelers haven’t exactly been flooded with Pro Bowl selections in recent years, with OLB T.J. Watt and FS Minkah Fitzpatrick the only consistent selections, DL Cam Heyward having his streak snapped in 2023. RB Najee Harris and WR Diontae Johnson were alternates in the 2022 Pro Bowl, but the Steelers offense has rarely fielded Pro Bowl talent since the Big Ben glory days with Antonio Brown, Le’Veon Bell, and an elite offensive line.
The offense has looked uninspiring this preseason, with the o-line struggling to give quarterbacks Justin Fields or Russell Wilson any breathing room, and with both quarterbacks failing to capitalize when they did have time to operate.
Regardless, Arthur Smith and the new quarterbacks were acquired to overhaul a poor offensive system, and with that, NFL.com analyst Kevin Patra believes WR George Pickens could make his Pro Bowl debut in 2024.
“Last season, Pickens collected 1,140 yards alongside Dionte Johnson,” wrote Patra. “With Johnson in Carolina, Pickens is now the clear-cut No. 1 option in Pittsburgh. There are also huge questions behind him in the pecking order, meaning Pickens should see a plethora of targets that will allow him to stockpile stats.
“The 23-year-old boasts the talent on the outside to win one-on-ones. While used mostly as a boundary field-stretcher, Pickens can feast on all three levels, and I expect new offensive coordinator Arthur Smith to use Pickens more liberally all over the field than the previous staff did. Barring an addition to the WR corps, Pickens is in a position to potentially lead the NFL in targets in 2024.”
Diontae Johnson saw over 140 targets in three of his last four seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers, leaving a heap of vacated opportunities in the Steelers offense. Receivers Van Jefferson and Calvin Austin III are expected to start alongside Pickens at wideout, but neither of those players have seen 90 targets in a season or recorded more than 50 catches in a season.
Additionally, Arthur Smith loves throwing to tight ends. If he can stay healthy, Pat Freiermuth is expected to play a vital role in the passing game, serving as the potential number two option and a primary red zone target. As the head coach of the Atlanta Falcons, Arthur Smith targeted tight ends on 34 percent of pass plays, more than any other team in the league.
Despite these other contributors, George Pickens is the undisputed alpha in the Steelers receiver room. Pickens had an exceptional training camp, exploding for yards after the catch, commanding targets in the end zone, and developing as a more versatile route-runner. The Steelers believe Pickens is the WR1 of their future, and this season should serve as his official breakout.
It’s unlikely Pickens leads the NFL in targets like Patra wrote, especially considering the Steelers desire to feature a run-heavy offense without a particularly fast tempo, but he should be near the top of the league in the category. His targets are also higher-value than other receivers, because he led the league in yards per reception last year at 18.1. In order to ascend to Pro Bowl status, Pickens needs to find consistency each game. He’s been a boom-or-bust receiver so far in his career, with five 100-yard games last season as well as eight games under fifty yards. While he’s one of the best contested-catch wideouts in the NFL, he’s not excellent at generating separation, and he hasn’t demonstrated proficiency in the whole route tree.
New wide receivers coach Zach Azzanni is working Pickens’ tail off to improve as a route-runner, and as long as the team doesn’t trade for Brandon Aiyuk or another top receiver, Pickens has a legitimate shot at making his first career Pro Bowl.
Even if he falls short of the Pro Bowl, it would be encouraging to see George Pickens turn all of his talent and training into production this season, setting career marks in receptions, yards, and touchdowns as a focal point of the Steelers offense. Pickens’ chemistry with either Wilson or Fields will be paramount to the offense’s success. It’s time for a new elite receiver to make a name for himself in the Steelers’ history books.
