It's too quiet: George Pickens staying out of spotlight shows much-needed growth

The Pittsburgh Steelers have had anything but a quiet offseason, but we aren't seeing George Pickens' name popping up for non-football reasons very much at all. The mercurial wide receiver talent is an extraordinary playmaker when his head is in the game. He is the best wide receiver to play at my alma mater of Georgia since A.J. Green. I do not say that lightly. He could be a star in Pittsburgh.

However, Matt Canada's offense, Kenny Pickett's weak arm and the perpetual nonsense that seems to seep out of Mike Tomlin's locker room has taken a toll on Pickens' reputation as an up-and-coming No. 1 wide receiver. For as much as I want to see him be one, he really is a No. 2 in the league, albeit a damn good one. Fortunately, newfound maturity may be what it takes to get him over the top here.

With Arthur Smith coming in as the team's new offensive coordinator, I would venture to guess that the Steelers' offense will be even more ground-centric. Although that is not good news for the amount of footballs to go Pickens' way, the Steelers did upgrade considerably at the quarterback position. While I don't like Russell Wilson, he is better than Pickett, and so is Justin Fields as well.

If Pickens can prove to be a tad steadier above the shoulders, he could be the next Hines Ward.

A quiet offseason for George Pickens is perfect for Pittsburgh Steelers

I was lucky enough to watch Pickens go to work for three years at UGA from 2019 to 2021. From an on-field perspective, there are three things I love about his game. He is relentless outside the numbers, is a dynamic possession receiver in the slot and is a willing blocker on run plays and sweeps. There are three games I remember fondly in particular where he did each of those things.

As a vertical presence, he made an unbelievable catch in the national championship game in 2021. It was a trying year for him, one where Pickens was marred by injuries. Given that he is an Alabama native, he knew how important the rematch with the Crimson Tide was up in Indianapolis. The ball he hauled in from Stetson Bennett IV will go down as the greatest play of his college career at Georgia.

As a possession receiver, I distinctly remember him absolutely taking over in the middle of the field vs. Baylor in the 2019 Sugar Bowl. It was Jake Fromm's final game of his college career, but one where the entire college football world got to see what Pickens was all about and what made him so special. He had like 10 or a dozen catches, as the Dawgs began their latest bowl game winning streak.

And finally, when it comes to being a willing blocker in the running game, I am absolutely referring to Georgia's dominating win over Georgia Tech in Clean, Old-Fashioned Hate down on The Flats in 2019. Pickens got into it with a defensive back, threw him to the ground and began to fight it. It showed Pickens' passion for the game, but also his ability to be a knucklehead. It was his definitive moment.

The talent is still undeniable, but we often wonder if we are getting Baylor Pickens or Georgia Tech Pickens any given Sunday with the Steelers. The team hasn't been good enough to get national championship moments out of him, but we know that those breakout players are still somewhere inside of him. For my money, I would say Pickens is about to have his best season of his NFL career.

I have a lot of questions about the Steelers as a whole this season, but Pickens is not one of them.