3 Pittsburgh Steelers who have to take the next step this season

Mike Tomlin’s coaching keeps the Steelers competitive, but he needs three players to step up if they want to become a legitimate title contender in 2023. 

It’s fair to say the Steelers overachieved last season by finishing with a 9-8 record in the regular season. That isn’t good enough for head coach Mike Tomlin or the team’s passionate fan base. Everyone in Pittsburgh wants to see this team move up the AFC North standings in 2023.

The organization can feel good about the talent they added in April’s NFL Draft, but if the Steelers are going to take a leap they’ll need a significant amount of internal roster improvement. The good news is there’s plenty of young talent on the roster that’s still on the ascendancy. This list starts with one offensive weapon that has All-Pro potential.

Steelers who need to step up: 3. George Pickens

Pickens outperformed his status as a second-round pick by hauling in 52 catches for 801 yards as a rookie. The scary thing for opposing defensive backs is that Pickens is still just scratching the surface of his potential.

He is too talented to limit himself to trying to consolidate his gains during his sophomore campaign as a pro. Pickens’ goals should be much more ambitious. It’s not a stretch to think he can develop into this offense’s No. 1 wide receiver.

The key for Pickens will be to improve his consistency. His unwillingness to really lock in on details as the knock on him coming out of Georgia. He can’t afford to take his eye off the ball in 2023 if he wants to become a true star.