It only took one day, but George Pickens is already fighting with the Steelers coaching staff and it could leave this offense decimated if it continues.
The Steelers closed their first day of training camp with some unfortunate news. Seemingly set to be a star in this offense, the George Pickens issue already reared its head. It is common knowledge that new receivers coach Zach Azzanni is a hard-nosed coach who pushes his receivers to perform better. For an immature receiver, this can cause a cultural clash.
It is also no secret that Pickens has been immature during his tenure with the Steelers. From showing physical frustration on the sidelines to not always giving his all as a blocker, Pickens needs to grow up in order to be an elite receiver. The hope is that Azzanni will be able to straighten him out.
The Steelers have gone all in on Pickens this offseason. They traded away Diontae Johnson and did next to nothing to replace him. This offense is designed to have one great receiver at the helm, and Pickens certainly fits that bill. However, if he continues to clash with the coaching staff, the team has shown a willingness to part ways with players who don’t fit what the team wants.
Can Pickens and the Steelers thrive together?
Talent has never been the question for Pickens. Since being drafted, everyone has circled his character concerns as a cause for concern. This likely caused him to fall in the draft despite his talent warranting an earlier pick.
I think the Azzanni hire was a great one as it will force Pickens to either grow up or get shipped out. Entering year three, Pickens has shown some small growth in his maturity, but he still acts out far too often. Seeing it this early in training camp certainly isn’t a welcome sight.
Pittsburgh has backed themselves into a corner this year at receiver, and if Pickens continues to struggle with his maturity and the team has to get rid of him, they have no option to replace him. The receiver room is already thin on the depth chart, and you can’t replace a player of his caliber in free agency right now.
If this team were to lose Pickens, it would crater the passing game. While it is true that the Steelers want to be a physical, run-first team, they also can’t survive in the NFL without a passing game. There are legitimate concerns with the roster as is, and that would only be furthered if Pickens can’t get his head on straight this year.
This seems like a make-or-break moment for Pickens. If he can learn from Azzanni and mature as a player, the sky is the limit for him considering his impressive talent. If he can’t mature, he equally isn’t a player you want around long term. He is eligible for a contract extension as early as next offseason, so that question needs to be answered sooner than later.
Ideally, this is a small blip in an otherwise fruitful relationship between Pickens and Azzanni. If it is more than that though, the Steelers are in trouble. They went all in on Pickens this offseason as their top guy at receiver. If he can’t mature and forces his way off the team, the lack of receiver options will destroy this offense.
