Why insider feels Steelers let George Pickens down before trade to Cowboys

Even before the Pittsburgh Steelers officially traded wide receiver George Pickens to the Dallas Cowboys ahead of the second weekend of May, reports indicated that Pittsburgh head coach Mike Tomlin was ready to move on from the 24-year-old who caused the club numerous headaches over the past two seasons. 

However, NFL insider Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk believes the Steelers deserve some blame for the fact that Pickens hasn't yet become the dynamic playmaker many thought he'd be at this point in his career. 

"At his best last year, it was Russell Wilson uncorking the deep ball without regard to whether or not George Pickens was covered," Florio explained during Friday's edition of the "Pro Football Talk Live" program, as shared by Troy Montgomery of Steelers Depot. "And George Pickens goes to get it. You need to have that faith in him, and you need to show the commitment to his skills. I think that was one of the problems in Pittsburgh. He's highly talented, but I never felt like the Steelers fully embraced and cultivated the talents that he had."

Some thought after Pickens appeared annoyed during a game in the fall of 2023 that the firing of much-maligned offensive coordinator Matt Canada would light a fire under the 2022 second-round draft pick. With Arthur Smith serving as the full-time replacement for Canada this past season, Pickens caught 26 passes for 363 yards and no touchdowns when Justin Fields was his QB1 for six games. To compare, Pickens tallied 33 receptions for 537 yards and three scores across eight contests while catching passes thrown by Wilson. 

A Wednesday report revealed that "the Steelers' unsettled quarterback situation gave Pickens pause about his financial future" as he continued preparing to enter training camp while in the final year of his rookie contract. That's understandable, as Pittsburgh hasn't had a long-term answer at the sport's most important position since Ben Roethlisberger retired in January 2022. 

As of the second Friday of May, longtime backup Mason Rudolph would be Pittsburgh's starting signal-caller. It's unclear when the Steelers will get a final answer regarding whether or not Aaron Rodgers will play for the club later this year. 

It's possible Pickens will never "grow up" with any team after he suggested this past January he wasn't optimistic about the future of Pittsburgh's offense. That said, Pickens also had little reason to believe the Steelers would be dynamic on the offensive side of the ball anytime soon before he learned he was headed to Dallas.