Coming off a breakout second season in which he took a significant step forward, WR George Pickens has sky-high expectations entering Year 3 for the Pittsburgh Steelers.
With veteran receiver Diontae Johnson traded away in the offseason, Pickens steps into the forefront as the true, unquestioned WR1 for the Steelers ahead of the 2024 season.
Though there are concerns about depth and talent behind him at the receiver position, there is no doubt that Pickens has all the tools to become a truly dominant receiver in the NFL.
Pro Football Focus’s Steve Palazzolo, appearing on the 93.7 The Fan PM Show with hosts Andrew Fillipponi and Chris Mueller, stated that the tools for Pickens are absolutely there to have a huge season, saying that he has special plays in his bag and can do it all.
The question becomes, will he take that next step? Palazzolo believes Pickens will.
“I think he’s capable of it. I mean, just a couple of the plays last year, even just early on, you saw his speed after the catch. I mean, it felt like he showed more last year,” Palazzolo said of Pickens, according to video via 93.7 The Fan on YouTube. “And now I think it’s just that consistency issue. The idea that his contested catches were kind of up and down last year, but I mean, he has the special plays in the bag. He can make those. He can make plays when he is covered. I think he’s shown that you can move ’em around a little bit, put ’em into space and let him create after the catch.
“I think Pickens has all the tools to handle it. It’s just a matter of, week to week, being able to do it. I think the tools are absolutely there to have a huge season.”
There is no denying that Pickens has all the tools to have a monster season for the Steelers.
He is a height/weight/speed guy that has taken a significant step forward as a route runner and has an absurd catch radius, pairing that with outstanding body control to make plays down the field in the passing game.
Pickens was a real force throughout the 2023 season for the Steelers, even with some challenges under center in the Matt Canada offense. Despite those challenges, Pickens finished his second season in the NFL with 64 receptions for 1,140 yards and 5 touchdowns.
He led the NFL in yards per reception with 18.1, which is rather remarkable having played in a vertically challenged offense throughout much of the season.
Even with some struggles in the passing game, Pickens developed as a route runner, added yards after catch to his game and really became a terrifying receiver for defenses to deal with, especially late in the season, showing the Steelers what could be ahead for him in the NFL.
Now entering the 2024 season, Pickens has a true WR1 opportunity in front of him. Pickens has upgrades at quarterback in Russell Wilson and Justin Fields, so it will not be surprising whatsoever if Pickens takes another monumental step forward in his game. He could become that truly dominant receiver the Steelers envisioned he could be when they selected him in the second round of the 2022 NFL Draft.
