PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – It’s a week removed from the George Pickens trade and amazing how many are missing the big picture positive.
It’s hard to go on social media without seeing a ton of concern about the Steelers need for a number two receiver. About going and finding an old receiver to fill that role. About making a trade now to impact the number two spot. About feeling like they are robbing the team from winning this year.
The Steelers hanging on believing they were a championship contender has been part of the problem the last couple of years.
What the George Pickens trade showed was a willingness from the organization to do the right thing. They could have held onto Pickens, a very talented, yet inconsistent receiver. It would have made it a better team on paper this season. Instead they knowingly got rid of a good player, who would have given them a better chance to win this year, because he was a problem.
Steelers fans have bragged for 50 years about the ‘Steeler Way’ and part of that is not having those off-field issues or players who were problems in the locker room. Sure, you had Antonio Brown, but even his headaches were minimal compared to what happened after he left. Plus, AB was a far more productive receiver and when he was on the practice field, was the hardest worker.
It was a gamble to draft Pickens, he was a first-round talent who slipped to the second round. While at Georgia, he was suspended for getting into a fight during a game and another time for breaking team rules. Plus, he had a reputation of allowing defenders to get in his head, those have persisted in the NFL.
Understanding these risks, the Steelers were in desperate need of a wide receiver and rolled the dice.
Ultimately, he hasn’t yet matured. He’s annoyed teammates. Showed up late to the Christmas game without a reason stated by him or the team. It got to a level that even Tomlin, knowing it would make the 2025 team worse, decided it was time for a change.
What the Steelers did well in the NFL Draft was not reach for a position. Needing a quarterback, they didn’t draft one before the sixth round. Needing a running back, they waited until the third round and didn’t use draft capital to move up. They drafted a promising edge rusher and massive defensive lineman instead of feeling like they had to draft a receiver.
They felt like they had better options in the draft to build on the foundation of the team, not feel like they had to improve receiver depth.
Talk will persist now about the need to find another receiver. In some cases, it seems like a panic. The Steelers did sign veteran Robert Woods, who at this point in his career might be better in the locker room than on the field. Don’t think a major trade is coming to help at WR this year or the addition of another vet is the answer.
They are going to see what 2024 third-round pick Roman Wilson has. He missed most of last year due to injury and they approach it like having another new player. Wilson did average 16.4 yards-per-catch with few drops and 12 TD winning a national title with Michigan in 2023.
The Pickens trade was a sign the team at least tacitly understands it’s not ready to compete for a championship. What they did was added more draft picks, got rid of a player who negatively affected the atmosphere around the team and while they would never say it, realized it’s more about 2026, than 2025.