It's only a matter of time before the Pittsburgh Steelers run out of patience with George Pickens. The Steelers wide receiver is immensely talented, but he also has some obvious flaws. Pickens is an All-Pro talent with locker room problems. Pickens has gotten on Mike Tomlin's bad side in the past, and there's nothing stopping him from doing so in the future.
Pickens has been floated in trade rumors this offseason for all the reasons mentioned above. For the right contending team, Pickens can become a Super Bowl-caliber talent. In Pittsburgh, he is a wasted weapon, as DK Metcalf is set to take on the majority of targets from a quarterback who, for now, is not on the roster. The Steelers want to sign Aaron Rodgers, but the feeling isn't mutual. If Mason Rudolph is Pittsburgh's starter in 2025, it doesn't really matter who their wide receivers are.
Quarterback is the most important position in professional football, and also the position the Steelers have avoided the longest. A great defense is meaningless if they don't receive support from the other side of the ball. 13-3 defeats aren't fun, trust me, and they are getting worse given the leeway referees provide great quarterbacks and wideouts. The Steelers won't get many of those with Rudolph and/or Rodgers throwing to Pickens.
Steelers need a quarterback more than they need George Pickens
A Pickens trade was rumored to involve an asking price of a second-round pick. That is reasonable, given the Georgia product's age and production. Pickens is entering the final year of his deal as a second-round pick, but he should still be cheap when compared to other top-flight wideouts. The question remains whether the Steelers would want to trade Pickens, but if they are hoping to add draft capital to their arsenal, he is their best tradable asset.
Pickens is, by most accounts, difficult to deal with in the locker room. When he doesn't receive enough targets, Pickens can become a headache. Why, then, should Pittsburgh opt to keep him when Metcalf will take most of those targets in 2025?
While the headline suggests the Steelers should pull the plug on Pickens, that does not mean their second-round pick was a failure. Pickens has outperformed expectations, and in this case, the Steelers should cash their chips.