George Pickens has the talent required to be a No. 1 wide receiver for the Pittsburgh Steelers but it's starting to look as if Mike Tomlin and the franchise's brain trust are growing tired of his antics. That's why the team is taking a close look at former Ohio State wideout Emeka Egbuka as a potential target for their first round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.
The Steelers' interest in Egbuka could also be a natural byproduct of adding DK Metcalf in a trade earlier this offseason. He and Pickens both thrive when asked to pressure opposing defensive backs on deep routes. It's natural to think that PIttsburgh might want to find a No. 2 wide receiver who can complement Metcalf by thriving on underneath and intermediate patterns.
That's exactly the sort of wideout Egbuka projects to be at the NFL level. He lacks the elite physical traits required to be a No. 1 pass-catcher but he does possess the short-range quickness needed to generate separation near the line of scrimmage.
Emeka Egbuka has long been linked to the Steelers, with or without George Pickens
That ability to keep the chains of moving on short routes could be particularly important for a Steelers' offense that still is searching for a quality option at the quarterback position. Metcalf can help any quarterback with his ability to win contested catches down the field. What he can't do is generate easy throws for his signal-callers with anything resmebling high-level route running.
The argument against swapping Pickens for Egbuka is that it would lower the ceiling of Pittsburgh's wide receiving corps. Pickens is far from perfect but he could turn into a No. 1 option if he can improve his focus. The Steelers would be giving up on the idea of having the top wide receiver duo in the NFL if they offload him this offseason.
Drafting Egbuka would raise the floor of their pass-catching options. That might be a deal worth making in the eyes of Tomlin as he looks to return to the playoffs next season.
In the end, only look for Pittsburgh to deal Pickens if they receive a quality offer for him in a trade. They will need to receive a premium draft compensation in exchange for the young, but enigmatic wideout. It's a situation worth monitoring as the pre-draft process rolls along.