While the Pittsburgh Steelers are still waiting to play their first game, a familiar face made his debut in a new uniform last night. George Pickens, the former starting receiver for Pittsburgh, saw his first official action with the Cowboys last night.
The results? Not what the league thought it would be, but pretty similar to how Steelers fans grew accustomed to his games.
Pickens had a relatively quiet evening, posting three catches for 30 yards in the loss to the Eagles. However, it wasn’t so much his on-field play that was notable for his debut. Sure, the Steelers need receiver help, but trading him looks like the better move every day.
The Pittsburgh Steelers got away from George Pickens at the right time
In what turned out to be an extremely chippy game from both teams, Pickens did his part in reminding everyone how immature he could be. From grabbing at Quinyon Mitchell’s ankles to being called for a personal foul, it was business as usual for the former second-round pick.
While his play can, at times, look great, it seems clear that Pickens’ head isn’t screwed on right. Despite a brand-new team and entering a contract year, Pickens couldn’t keep his motives straight for even one game.
I don’t see these issues getting resolved, unfortunately.
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The Cowboys played better than many gave them credit for last night. However, we have seen Pickens' desire to be the top threat for a team surpass just winning. This was evident with his tantrums despite the Steelers ultimately winning games.
CeeDee Lamb is the undisputed top dog, and that isn’t changing anytime soon. That means Pickens has to be ok with being the second option. Given his history of lashing out, I’m not confident in that.
It seemed like the Steelers sold Pickens at a low price for just a future third-round pick. Looking back on it now, with his immaturity issues still prevalent, this may have proven to be the right move.
He would have been in the same situation on the Pittsburgh offense, and the last thing this team needs is him butting heads with anyone and everyone. Add in his hot temper, which often got him into trouble during games, and it would have been a mess. Cutting ties was a necessary move in hindsight.
Yes, Pickens will have better games than what we saw on Thursday, but that doesn’t dismiss the fact that he hasn’t actually grown up yet. Those same immaturities haunt him still, and until they are resolved, he is far too big a risk to roster. The Cowboys saw that firsthand last night.