When people talk about Steelers WR George Pickens being ready to explode, they usually mean it negatively lately. A player whose own head coach says needs to grow up, he is prone to tantrums that can cause distractions. Some have worried that the Steelers trading for WR DK Metcalf will spark the biggest tantrum of all, but NFL analyst and former RB Maurice Jones-Drew disagrees. Or at least he thinks Pickens can explode on the field as well—in a good way.
“The Pittsburgh Steelers understand what they want to do”, Jones-Drew said on the NFL Network yesterday. “When [George] Pickens was getting a ton of double coverage, there wasn’t another guy to go to with the football. Now you have DK [Metcalf] there, but I expect Pickens to explode. He’s been waiting to explode. That’s why I’ve been leaning more toward the Aaron Rodgers side. [Pickens] can catch that 50/50 ball. He can go up and make some catches across the middle”.
The Steelers made George Pickens their clear No. 1 WR last year after trading Diontae Johnson, but they counted on being able to replace what they lost. They thought they had something worked out for Brandon Aiyuk, but he pivoted at the last moment. Reportedly, the Steelers did try to trade for DK Metcalf last year, marking a familiar theme. In 2023, they tried to trade for CB Donte Jackson, only to acquire him last March—for Johnson.
Jones-Drew’s opinion certainly has validity and is a point that was raised throughout the offseason a year ago. Many worried that without another legitimate starting wide receiver, George Pickens would struggle to produce for the Steelers. Now, he did only score three touchdowns, which is really not acceptable. But he found ways to make plays, when the quarterbacks tossed him the ball.
Of course, right now, they don’t know who their quarterback will be—at least as of this writing. Justin Fields has already agreed to terms with the Jets, rebuffing an offer Pittsburgh had on the table. The Steelers’ remaining top options are Aaron Rodgers and re-running Russell Wilson, both of whom offer a higher upside for passing-game numbers for George Pickens and DK Metcalf.
It’s worth noting that Metcalf played his entire career with a strong running mate in Seattle in Tyler Lockett. The Seahawks released Lockett, though, so maybe he winds up back with Metcalf in Pittsburgh. As for Pickens, he had Diontae Johnson for his first two seasons, and…some guys. Van Jefferson played the second-most snaps, but Calvin Austin III was the Steelers’ second-most productive wide receiver in 2024.
It is true that Steelers opponents won’t be able to commit as much attention to Pickens with Metcalf on the other side. Metcalf is not unfamiliar with double teams himself, so defenses will have to make a choice. Will that result in Pickens finally exploding in terms of production, something Steelers fans have long been waiting for? We have talked about his “potential” for years, but 12 career receiving touchdowns don’t pass muster.
