Steelers Given A Warning About Not Rushing The Return Of George Pickens: "Can't Win Without Him"

The Pittsburgh Steelers lost to the Philadelphia Eagles 27-13 during their Week 15 matchup. While many expected the Eagles to win, especially considering their long win streak against the Steelers at home, few expected the game to be as sloppy as it was. There is plenty of blame to go around, with mistakes being made nearly everywhere on the team, but one of the biggest concerns remains the wide receivers room without George Pickens. 

Mark Kaboly from The Pat McAfee Show joined Adam Crowley and Dorin Dickerson on 93.7 The Fan Morning Show. He said that this game solidified for him how important Pickens is to this offense and that there just isn't another receiver who can take his place. He said that from his perspective, the Steelers will struggle in their upcoming game against the Baltimore Ravens if they don't do something different. 

Headed into the game against the Eagles, the expectation was that tight end Pat Freiermuth would be the top receiver; after all, they did extend his contract before the start of the season. However, the leading receiver was Calvin Austin III, with five catches for 65 yards, and 31 of those yards resulted from a single flea flicker pass. Freiermuth only had three catches for 22 yards, but did make Pittsburgh's only touchdown. Once again, Arthur Smith did not involve Mike Williams much; he had one catch for 15 yards. 

While Kaboly believes this offense will continue to struggle without Pickens, he told Crowley and Dickerson that he doesn't expect to see him against the Ravens. 

"I still don't think you want to rush him back," said Kaboly. "I think this showed, the last two weeks, how much he means to this team and you can't win without him. So do you take your chances in making sure he's 100% moving forward, or do you rush him back, hoping to win this division next week?"

Crowley said it seems like a no-brainer; if Pickens isn't healthy, they won't play him. While that may be true, Kaboly said the issue is the "grey area" where players push to return too soon, or teams push to have them back too soon. Everyone knows that Pickens is a fierce competitor, and despite his antics, he wants to be on the field helping his team.  

If Pickens doesn't return, Kaboly said the whole rest of the offense really has to step up. That starts with the offensive line blocking better and giving Russell Wilson a chance to go through his progressions. They have to protect the ball and avoid senseless penalties. He added that he expected Smith to make more adjustments.

Steelers' Price Tag On George Pickens Could Go Up

Since Kaboly insisted that the team needed Pickens to win, Crowley asked him if this raises his value to the team. Pickens is on his rookie contract and will be eligible for negotiations during the 2025 offseason. While his behaviors have caused some to feel that he is a ticking time bomb who doesn't deserve or shouldn't get offered a new deal, others feel that his talent is enough. 

Kaboly doesn't necessarily believe Pickens will earn more from the Steelers now. He said he always thought he would get paid whether it was in Pittsburgh or another city. However, he thinks the Steelers recognize how much they need him. While Head Coach Mike Tomlin might have insisted they could get it done without him, pledging his fealty to the rest of the receiving corps, the reality is they couldn't. 

It will be telling what they can do against the Ravens on Saturday, especially if it is without Pickens. Thanks to some losses Sunday, the Steelers clinched a playoff berth anyways, so now they are playing to secure their seed. 

Should the Steelers rush Pickens to return, or wait until he is 100% healthy? Click to comment below. 

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