Many within the Pittsburgh Steelers fanbase entered a state of panic when the front office surprisingly traded George Pickens to the Dallas Cowboys last week. What we thought was going to be a dynamic duo at the receiver position in Pickens and DK Metcalf is no more. But Cam Heyward is urging fans not to panic.
While Heyward admitted that he was surprised by the move, he's pleading with fans to stay calm and trust the process. The four-time First-Team All-Pro defender broke his silence on the Pickens trade to offer a stern message of hope to fans currently doubting this organization.
"But I think the main thing is, and this is a PSA for all Steelers fans: Don't panic, stay patient, we'll get to work," Heyward stated on his Not Just Football Podcast. "I think sometimes we can jump off the ship and think the ship is sinking. We've got work to do. Whoever won the offseason isn't going to win the regular season and is not going to win the Super Bowl. I'm locked in on that; locked in on having a good year, and I hope my teammates are too."
Heyward encompasses exactly what it means to be a team leader, in times like these, especially. Pickens is a 24-year-old wide receiver who hasn't even reached the prime of his NFL career and was arguably the most talented offensive player on the Steelers' roster before being traded to the Cowboys.
But Heyward reminds us that, while this feels like a step in the wrong direction, hope is not lost.
Cam Heyward is confident in the Pittsburgh Steelers' wide receiver room
While Cameron Heyward acknowledged George Pickens' ability on the field, the Steelers star believes Pittsburgh has other unproven options on the team waiting to break out. In addition to stating that Pat Freiermuth could be more involved on offense, Heyward gave a glowing endorsement to Calvin Austin III and Roman Wilson as breakout candidates this year.
Austin came down with some of the biggest plays at the wide receiver position for the Steelers last year, but his usage was inconsistant. Now, Austin is in a prime position to work opposite DK Metcalf in Pittsburgh's offense as the number two wide receiver to begin the 2025 season. At 5'7 3/4'' and 170 pounds, Austin has clear size limitations, but he showcased natural route running and soft hands last season to go with legitimate 4.3 speed.
Roman Wilson is the wildcard in all of this. The 2024 third-round pick played just five offensive snaps during his rookie season, which was plagued by injuries. After essentially seeing a redshirt year, Wilson could come out of the gate swinging. Wilson has outstanding speed (4.39) with enough size (5'10 3/4'', 185 pounds) to play on the outside or in the slot.
The Steelers also added Robert Woods to the mix at wide receiver. While losing George Pickens is sure to hurt the offense, it may have been a necessary move to salvage the locker room and get this team back on track. Cam Heyward is buying into the program, and perhaps fans should too.