The Steelers have turned their roster over considerably this offseason, with some position rooms experiencing more upheaval than others. As we prepare for training camp, in this series, we’ll look back on the prominent faces no longer in Pittsburgh. For the sake of brevity, we’ll review them in groups, each headed by one of the bigger names.
WR George Pickens:
After spending three seasons with the Steelers, George Pickens will finish his rookie contract in Dallas. A former second-round pick, Pickens is phenomenally talented, but channeling it productively proved an ongoing challenge.
The Steelers decided they had enough of managing that particular issue and moved on. They held out and ultimately landed a third-round pick from the Cowboys for Pickens. Though they will miss his on-field abilities, they wouldn’t have made the move unless they viewed it as a net positive.
The thing is, for as talented as George Pickens is, the Steelers never saw that translate into production. Though he is a perennial Pro Bowler in his head, he never earned an actual Pro Bowl. Not even in the age of infinite alternates.
The Steelers knew they were not signing Pickens to a second contract. Reportedly, he flirted with the idea of asking for a trade, but wanted to stick it out. He apparently enjoyed his time here, despite obvious frustrations. Will a fresh start prove to be best for both sides?
WR Mike Williams:
Although they had Pickens, the Steelers spent the summer hunting for another wide receiver. After Brandon Aiyuk left them in the lurch, they had few options. Throughout the season, they explored the available avenues. Ultimately, they landed on Mike Williams, costing them a fifth-round pick.
While the Steelers got one cool moment out of him, that hardly justifies the admittedly modest investment. At the time, though, Pittsburgh was cooking, and apparently feeling itself. Maybe the Steelers thought Williams could help make them a contender.
They were wrong.
WR Van Jefferson:
That this worked out to be an all-receivers edition is a coincidence, but nevertheless, we’re here. Remarkably, after spending a season with Allen Robinson II as a starter, the Steelers put themselves through a year of Van Jefferson. Now they are teetering on the brink of Robert Woods, if they can’t see the forest for Bobby Trees.
Van Jefferson has bloodlines, being the son of Shawn Jefferson, which checked a major Steelers box. And in the team’s defense, they did try to trade for Brandon Aiyuk. They also used a third-round pick on Roman Wilson. They didn’t go into the season banking on Jefferson playing SEVEN HUNDRED TWENTY-ONE SNAPS.
But he did. And the Steelers got 24 catches for 276 yards and two touchdowns out of it. Although, to be fair, that’s the first time Jefferson has even scored since 2022, so that’s something. There’s a reason that Pickens, Williams, and Jefferson are all no longer with the Steelers, though. Or rather, many reasons.
