Pittsburgh Steelers training camp is off and running and practice one didn’t come and go without a couple of headlines. Namely, expected starting quarterback Russell Wilson was unable to participate on July 25 due to “calf tightness” — thrusting Justin Fields back into the spotlight as the QB1 — but there was another notable moment according to Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reporter Ray Fittipaldo.
“New receivers coach Zach Azzanni and George Pickens got into a heated exchange late in practice when Azzanni didn’t like the way Pickens executed his assignment,” Fittipaldo revealed.
Continuing: “Pickens didn’t take kindly to Azzanni’s words. Some of the other receivers approached Pickens after the exchange, but Pickens was visibly upset.”
The Steelers dealt with similar sorts of issues within the WR corps last season — not to mention over the past decade or so. Speaking to the 2023 campaign, it’s one of the main reasons you saw the front office trade away Diontae Johnson this spring.
With Pittsburgh, Johnson was a talented player who didn’t always stick to the program. Some believed his mentality was rubbing off on Pickens a year ago, and that was enough to send him packing despite a clear need at the position.
“There is hope Pickens can reach his full potential under the new offensive staff, but if Thursday was any indication, he’s going to be coached a lot different than he was in his first two NFL seasons when Frisman Jackson was the receivers coach,” Fittipaldo concluded. A fair assumption at this stage.
Steelers Need George Pickens to Become True WR1 in 2024
It’s no secret that the Steelers are relying on Pickens to take the next step this season. Behind him, there’s a wide range of uncertainty — whether that’s a draft pick entering his rookie year in the NFL (Roman Wilson), a newcomer looking to reboot his career (Van Jefferson) or a prospect who hasn’t quite hit his stride yet (Calvin Austin).
To put it simply, there’s only one Pickens in this room. He has the potential to become a superstar, but potential must be realized.
Fortunately, Pickens did show off some of his talent on July 25, linking up with Fields on a slant in 7-on-7s. Steelers Update shared video of the easy pass-and-catch that ended up going for big yardage.
If Pickens is beating cornerbacks on simple routes like that with regularity, then taking the ball for 30-plus yards, it won’t matter who’s playing quarterback. The Steelers just have to do their best to keep their integral playmaker on track.
Justin Fields Was Ready to Take Full Advantage With Russell Wilson Sidelined at Steelers Camp
According to Fields, he didn’t find out about Wilson’s injury until 6:30 a.m. But that didn’t stop the current QB2 from rising to the occasion.
“Fields had some nice throws during team periods and 7-on-7 drills,” Fittipaldo wrote. “He threw a long touchdown pass to Van Jefferson and was mostly accurate with his placement on passes.”
The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reporter did note one errant throw in the direction of Pickens, but it was an otherwise clean performance from Fields.
“I think I was definitely trying to take advantage of each and every rep that I got today,” the quarterback said after practice. “Just looking forward to getting better tomorrow.”
On Fields, head coach Mike Tomlin stated that “he was excited about the opportunity to lead that first group out of the huddle and [take] charge today.” The Steelers HC referred to Wilson’s calf injury as “day-to-day” for the time being.
