After three seasons, George Pickens’ time with the Pittsburgh Steelers is over. A second-round decide in 2022, Pickens regarded like a large hit. He’s some of the proficient receivers within the league, capable of make the unattainable look doable. Sadly, his poor perspective typically overshadowed his talents. That’s possible a part of why the Steelers had been prepared to commerce him. Nonetheless, former Steelers offensive lineman Trai Essex believes Pickens and the staff are each answerable for this union failing.
“[Pickens] is a first-round expertise,” Essex wrote not too long ago on Twitter. “The one motive he slipped to the 2nd spherical was due to maturity/character points. This was identified to everybody. The staff that drafted him wanted to offer him a way of stability with the intention to maximize his full potential.
“That may come within the type of a vet QB. A vet WR. Constant voice at OC. A constant voice at WR coach. He didn’t get any of that. [Pickens] wanted to satisfy them midway. He by no means acquired there. They failed one another.”
Popping out of Georgia, Pickens’ perspective issues weren’t a secret. He was some of the proficient receivers in that draft, however there have been some pink flags hooked up to him. Whereas the Steelers had been prepared to take an opportunity on him, Pickens has been unable to shake these points.
A part of that’s his downside. He’s nonetheless a younger participant at 24 years outdated, however he’s additionally knowledgeable. In some unspecified time in the future, Pickens shouldn’t permit his feelings to so simply management him on the sector.
Nonetheless, Essex is perhaps appropriate that the Steelers deserve a number of the blame for that, too. Their offense was in a transition interval once they drafted Pickens. They didn’t actually have an outlined chief on that aspect of the ball. That group consisted of a variety of younger gamers. Diontae Johnson was the veteran within the extensive receiver room, and he was solely 25 when Pittsburgh drafted Pickens.
The Steelers additionally didn’t have a constant voice at quarterback. They cycled by means of a number of gamers, none of whom had been ok to raise the offense. The offense was principally a catastrophe throughout Pickens’ time in Pittsburgh, which possible didn’t assist his temper.
The Steelers aren’t completely at fault for Pickens’ conduct. Nonetheless, they didn’t put him in an amazing place to succeed. Whether or not it was holding onto Matt Canada for too lengthy, reaching to draft Kenny Pickett, or not adequately filling out the receiver room round Pickens, the Steelers have made some missteps on offense.
Now, he has an opportunity to show that he might be extra in a greater offense. With the Dallas Cowboys, Pickens received’t be the No. 1 receiver. He ought to face some extra favorable matchups. Nonetheless, if his dangerous perspective persists in a brand new surroundings possibly the Steelers will deserve much less blame for Pickens not understanding in Pittsburgh.
