Steelers Big Issue At Receiver After George Pickens On Display At OTAs: "There's Just A Glaring Hole"

The Pittsburgh Steelers experienced a disappointing season on the offensive side of the football in 2023. Amidst the struggles, the most significant drama emerged from the wide receiver room, with Diontae Johnson and George Pickens at the center. After the season ended, the Steelers decided to trade Johnson to the Carolina Panthers, ending his tenure with the team.

This trade leaves Pickens as the undisputed star wide receiver in Pittsburgh. In just two seasons with the Steelers, Pickens has been a joy to watch on the field, amassing 115 catches for 1,941 receiving yards and 10 total touchdowns. Despite his impressive performance, Pickens faced criticism for not blocking for his teammates, displaying a poor attitude, and posting cryptic messages on social media during the 2023 season.

With Johnson gone, the organization hopes Pickens can step up into a leadership role. However, opinions among those close to the Steelers are mixed regarding Pickens' mentality for the 2024 season. While he is expected to see a major increase in targets as the only reliable true wide receiver, he will also attract significant attention from defenses, a challenge he hasn't faced in his most recent playing career.

Steelers insider Mark Kaboly revealed on 93.7 The Fan that he believes the organization did Pickens a disservice by not providing him with additional support.

"Right now, there's just a glaring hole [at wide receiver after Pickens]. You just go to OTAs and you say, 'Hmm, George Pickens is not gonna be happy with the coverage he's gonna be getting'. So if you get a guy like [Brandon] Aiyuk or [Deebo] Samuel, obviously, that changes.”

Reports emerged that the Steelers traded Johnson due to the headaches he caused the organization. While Pickens himself has had his share of issues, his attitude improved significantly towards the end of the 2023 season when Mason Rudolph took over. His production increased, but in the final game of the season, Pickens was targeted zero times. Instead of sulking, he was seen celebrating enthusiastically with his teammates, which was a huge positive for the Steelers.

Pickens' effort picked up, and many within the organization are hopeful he can carry that momentum into the 2024 season and beyond. The Steelers have been working hard all offseason to bring in help at the wide receiver position to alleviate some pressure off Pickens, though they have not been entirely successful in their endeavors.

The team has brought in wide receivers Quez Watkins, Van Jefferson and Scotty Miller. However, these additions have not instilled much optimism among Steelers fans and pundits. Additionally, they drafted rookie wide receiver Roman Wilson in the third round. 

The Steelers have a new offensive system under Arthur Smith, who is ready to implement a run-heavy scheme with the right personnel to do so. It will be exciting to see how Smith plans to involve the new look wide receiver room into his offensive scheme.

Steelers Will Test George Pickens Mentally In 2024

While Pickens is expected to see an increase in production due to the lack of support in the wide receiver room, he will also face new challenges in an unfamiliar offense with coverages he hasn't encountered before. Kaboly lacks confidence in how Pickens will respond to these challenges. However, Pickens is a competitive receiver and will get his wish for lots of targets in 2024.

He will be greatly challenged, giving the Steelers a chance to see how he handles being the true number one wide receiver in Pittsburgh. With new quarterbacks in town, an improved system, and a better offensive line, Pickens is still set up for a great season. It will be interesting to see what types of coverages defenses use against the Steelers if they can't add more help to the wide receiver room.

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