Pittsburgh Steelers fans have to already be getting tired of hearing the debate on who will start between Mitch Trubisky and Kenny Pickett. At this point, we're all just ready for the season to start. Now, Pickett comes into the season as the favorite to win 2022 NFL Rookie of the Year. Wide receiver George Pickens has just the 18th-best odds (+4000) to win the award.
To find the last Steeler to win the award, you'll have to go back to 2004. That's right, future Hall of Fame quarterback Ben Roethlisberger won just under 20 years ago. The three other Steelers to win the award were WR Jimmy Orr (1958), RB Franco Harris (1972), and WR Louis Lipps (1984). Quarterbacks will always be the favorites for these awards and understandably so. Not only do they man the most important position on the field, but it's the easiest position to rack up appealing stats. It sounds lazy, but it's true. Voters are more likely to vote for a guy with 35 touchdowns and 4,000 passing yards than a lockdown corner.
Credit: Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
In a weak QB class, Pickett is actually the only quarterback within the top-11 of the odds for ROY honors. Ja'Marr Chase won last year's award after a phenomenal rookie season. While Pickett is the favorite for the 2022 award, he may not even start to begin the year. So Steelers fans, look no further than fellow rookie George Pickens to perhaps take home the award.
Can Pickens continue Steelers' WR tradition?
There's no question that he has the potential to become an elite wide receiver. His injury concerns at Georgia led to his fall to the second round in the 2022 NFL Draft, as he was arguably the most talented player at his position. Now, he's in wide receiver heaven in Pittsburgh, the same place that has developed Antonio Brown, Hines Ward, Mike Wallace, and countless others.
There are a few questionable guys ahead of Pickens, including third-round Dallas Cowboys wideout Jalen Tolbert along with Tennessee Titans quarterback Malik Willis. Many thought the Steelers would pick Willis in the first round of the draft, but he ended up falling all the way to the third round. Ryan Tannehill, along with his massive contract, is locked in as the Titans Day 1 starter, so I'm not quite sure how Willis has better odds than Pickens.
Will Pickens be on the field enough to put up ROY numbers? That remains to be seen, and he's certainly far from a finished product. With that being said, Pickens will get his opportunities to prove himself, even while potentially being the third or fourth option. Think back to JuJu Smith-Schuster's rookie season, in which he had 917 receiving yards and seven touchdowns in just seven starts. He came into the year as the third option behind Antonio Brown and Martavis Bryant, but ended up evolving into the clear No. 2.
Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver, George Pickens (#14) practices at the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex during the 2022 minicamp on Wednesday, June 8, 2022. (Abigail Dean/ Pittsburgh Steelers)
Pickens gives the Steelers offense something they didn't have all of last season, even with Diontae Johnson and Chase Claypool on the team. That is, a deep threat down the field who has the ability to go up and get the ball. It was supposed to be Claypool, but he disappointed in his sophomore season. Now I'm not saying Pickens will win ROY honors, but with +4000 odds, he's not a bad pick, and he may have a better chance at it than his teammate, Pickett.
Do you guys like Pickens' odds at +4000? Would you put your money on Pickett or Pickens? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!
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