With Pittsburgh Steelers WR George Pickens out for the team’s past two games with a hamstring injury, there’s been a noticeable drop off in the team’s offensive output. Pickens is the team’s top receiver, and without a legitimate No. 2 option, Pittsburgh has struggled moving the ball through the air, especially early in games. QB Russell Wilson has just 286 passing yards over the past two weeks. It’s especially noticeable when the run game isn’t helping supplement the offense, as was the case against the Philadelphia Eagles yesterday.
Mark Kaboly thinks Pickens’ absence has proved his value to the Steelers. Appearing on The Fan Morning Show on Monday, Kaboly said the Steelers now likely realize that they’ll struggle to have offensive success without Pickens.
“I don’t know if he’s making money, but I think he’s making himself very valuable to this franchise, even more than you expect or think of,” Kaboly said. “I think he was gonna get paid regardless of what happened, where he went, where he goes. But now the Steelers, if they had any thought of saying ‘We can do life without George Pickens,’ this last couple games, they have to be scratching their heads and saying ‘I don’t think so.’
The Steelers’ offense was abysmal yesterday, as they only possessed the ball for 20:08 and didn’t pick up a first down until midway through the second quarter. Their leading receiver was Calvin Austin III with five receptions for 65 yards, but beyond him, nobody had more than three catches or 22 yards, which was what TE Pat Freiermuth was able to pick up through the air. With Pickens, the Steelers are much more explosive offensively and he gives the quarterback a true No. 1 target and someone the Steelers can rely on to make plays and jumpstart the offense.
Pickens will be going into a contract year in 2025, and the Steelers could look to sign him to an extension this offseason. On talent alone, it’s a no-brainer decision, even in an exploding wide receiver market. But Pickens carries some baggage due to his on-field antics, getting into a scuffle postgame with Cleveland Browns CB Greg Newsome II in Week 12 and ripping the helmet of Cowboys’ CB Jourdan Lewis in Week 5. He also had an issue last year where he showed minimal effort in blocking in Week 15 against the Colts.
The attitude and immaturity issues that Pickens has displayed make it at least a question if Pittsburgh is going to re-sign him. And if they do, will they want to commit to a massive extension? While upgrades at receiver are expected this offseason, it’s no sure thing that the Steelers will be able to get a bonafide No. 2 or at least another quality option they can count on across from Pickens. Now, they’ve seen that their offense just simply isn’t the same without Pickens in the lineup. That may incentivize them to get a deal done, even with the aforementioned issues that could make them want to move on.
There’s still plenty of time left in this season before the Steelers have to make the decision on what their plans are with Pickens. But it’s going to be one of the biggest questions looming over the offseason, and discussions about Pickens’ future are going to heat up over the coming months.
