During a two-game stretch at the end of the Justin Fields era, Steelers WR George Pickens saw fewer snaps. In one game, his snap percentage dipped all the way below 60 percent, for the first time in his career. After the game, Steelers HC Mike Tomlin chalked it up to load management. Few bought that story, which coincided with a concerning string of antics from the mercurial wide receiver.
The following week, Pickens played more snaps than any one wide receiver, but still a lower percentage, under 70 percent. That was the last game Justin Fields started. Since Russell Wilson has been in the lineup, Pickens has consistently played 80 percent of the snaps. And that’s right around where he has been for most of his career.
So why are the Steelers not rep-managing George Pickens’ snaps as much in the past three games with Russell Wilson? Well, there are some practical explanations, but passing load isn’t one of them. They had about 27 pass attempts per game with Fields, and Wilson is averaging about 28. And that doesn’t factor in Fields’ scrambles and higher sack count, which are designed pass plays.
But what is undeniable is the fact that George Pickens is producing more with Russell Wilson at quarterback. In the first six games with Justin Fields, he caught 26 of 44 passes for 363 yards. In the last three games with Wilson, he has caught 14 of 21 for 276 yards and two touchdowns.
You might notice that he isn’t even being targeted quite as frequently, but he is catching more passes. With Fields, Pickens was projecting for 74 catches for 1,028 yards and zero touchdowns. Since Russell Wilson entered the lineup, his production prorates to 79 catches for 1,564 yards and 11 touchdowns. Those are the Pro Bowl numbers he thought he has been putting up all along.
I think we can explain the increase in George Pickens’ snap percentage most simply by saying that he is more likely to make a big play with Russell Wilson than with Justin Fields. Whether there was ever any kind of disciplinary element to his dip in snaps, this aspect is true. The Steelers know what he can do when he has a high-quality quarterback—something they’ve waited two-and-a-half years for.
What comes next for George Pickens and his playing time with the Steelers? Will he continue to hover around 80 percent in an Arthur Smith offense that utilizes multi-tight end sets far more than Matt Canada ever did? As his production continues to tick upward, could we see him playing even more?
I will note that Pickens’ effort is still lacking at times when he doesn’t have the ball. There was one sequence after which he made a big play that he looked like Diontae Johnson after a fumble in his blocking effort on a run play the very next snap. I think he has made some strides in his overall buy-in, though, and Russell Wilson hasn’t hurt those efforts.
