The Pittsburgh Steelers have an issue brewing at the wide receiver position. Not only is the positional group weak overall, but top receiver George Pickens had a rough outing in Week 5. The receiver saw limited snaps and displayed a poor attitude which many took issue with. The third-year wide receiver was seen slouching on the bench, and his teammates even got up and moved away from him when he would sit down on the sideline. The receiver will see a good opportunity to bounce back in Week 6, but the actions seen from him are certainly worrisome.
It was clear during Pittsburgh's loss to the Dallas Cowboys in Week 5 that Pickens was frustrated, and it seemed as though he was acting selfish. This has been an issue in the past with the young receiver, and his actions are likely growing old within the locker room. Steelers insider Mike DeFabo went on 93.7 The Fan on Friday where he shared how the locker room has been feeling towards Pickens and his antics.
"I'm not speculating with this. There are players who are like sick of it. That's not just me making something up or trying to put myself in these players shoes, players have said that to me. They kind of are like, 'Come on.'"
The antics are clearly affecting the team, and it's unfortunate Pittsburgh can't rely on a player like Pickens, who is one of the better receivers in the league when he is locked in. The way he acted on Sunday against Dallas made him feel like a non-factor.
This isn't the first time Pickens has had issues. In 2023 he didn't even attempt to block on a run by Jaylen Warren, and his excuse was protecting his body. These are the kind of selfish actions that are concerning with the young wide receiver, who has the potential to be great if he could just buy in to the team aspect of football. DeFabo continued to speak about Pickens.
"I think sometimes with the Pickens stuff, you know, it's an emotional game, guys get frustrated. Some of it I feel like is blown out of proportion, but there is also some truth to it, and again, that's where I feel like the line is. When your own teammates are sick of answering questions about it, sick of having to try and uplift you. I think that's where it gets frustrating for some guys."
DeFabo spends tons of time in the locker room after practice and games, and he has certainly seen a trend with Pickens' behavior and how it affects his teammates. He mentioned Pat Freiermuth subtlety taking a shot at Pickens after the game in Week 5, which is a good sign of what the mood in the locker room is towards Pickens.
Steelers' Future With Pickens Up In The Air
At one point, just before the 2023 season, it looked like the Steelers had one of the next, great duos in the passing game in Pickens and Kenny Pickett. That clearly didn't work out as Pickett was traded during the 2024 offseason. Now there are some rumors swirling around that Pickens could get traded. This wouldn't be a wise move from the organization due to the potential of Pickens. He is eligible for a contract extension ahead of the 2025 season, but it is not looking like he will get one.
The receiver is too unreliable, and he hasn't been good enough to put up with. He has clearly lost the trust of some of his teammates. He would need to string together an extremely impressive rest of the 2024 season in order to see a second contract in Pittsburgh, which he might not even want.
