The Pittsburgh Steelers kicked off their training camp ahead of the 2024 season with a bang. On the first day of practice, news broke that newly-acquired quarterback Russell Wilson suffered a calf injury. Later that day, star receiver George Pickens got in a bit of a scuffle with his new wide receivers coach Zach Azzanni. This obviously made fans panic, especially when considering the issues Pickens has had throughout his first two seasons in the league.
Steelers wideout George Pickens gets ready for a regular season game against the New York Jets in 2022.
Pickens has had several occasions where he has acted selfishly and acted out on the sideline. It has been an issue that has been watching closely since he was drafted in 2022. Now, he is entering his first season as the wide receiver one in Pittsburgh - which means he needs to show signs of maturity. Steelers insider Ray Fittipaldo went on 93.7 The Fan and discussed what he has seen from Pickens, which has been extremely promising.
"As far as George goes, he's been making plays all of camp. That thing with Azzanni is well behind him, I think. There haven't been any other dust-ups that have happened. I think that's good for George and obviously good for the Steelers. Especially if he wants a second contract; he's got to be well-behaved and act like a number one receiver. I think for the vast majority of camp, he has."
Azzanni had a clear goal when he got hired as the new wide receivers coach for the Steelers, which was to get more out of Pickens. He has been coaching him hard throughout training camp, which is a good sign for fans as Pickens will be counted on to take a big step forward in 2024. Azzanni spoke to the media a few days after his dustup with Pickens, and shared that the two have moved past it and blamed it on their competitive nature.
Steelers George Pickens secures 41-yard touchdown and the winning score against the Baltimore Ravens.
Pickens has performed exceptionally well during training camp, which will hopefully translate to the regular season. Fittipaldo has been present throughout Pittsburgh's training camp, and has seen Pickens making plays and looking like a much improved player. It seems that the receiver and Azzanni are now firing on all cylinders, and their relationship has come a long way since the first day of camp. Fittipaldo spoke more about how impressive Pickens has been.
"George [Pickens] has been really good. I really didn't think about this until Arthur Smith said it the other day, but Arthur raved about the speed in the receivers' room. I was watching Pickens out there today, George was getting open, and George was running past people."
There was a lot of worry surrounding Pickens, and how he would be able to handle the pressure of being the first option in the passing game. Under the tutelage of Azzanni, Pickens has seemed to take major steps forward as a player and as a man. A big season should be expected from the third-year receiver.
Wide receiver George Pickens (#14) points in the direction of one of his teammates as the team practices during the Pittsburgh Steelers' 2023 training camp at St. Vincent College in Latrobe, PA.
Steelers' Pickens Has A Ton Of Pressure On Him Going Into 2024
If Pittsburgh's wide receiver room stays the way it is currently, Pickens will be facing a lot of defensive pressure. Everyone behind him in the wide receiver group is a question mark, and there is no telling how they will produce. The defense will be able to focus more attention of Pickens, and it will be interesting to see how he reacts to that.
Pickens has been known to throw fits when he doesn't get targeted, which could be an issue if he is set to face more double teams. Pickens and Azzanni will need to be able to find ways to scheme Pickens open in order for him to be able to produce. The third-year receiver has shown improvement in every season of his NFL career, and that is what is expected in 2024.
