It couldn't be clearer: the Steelers need to set George Pickens free

For all of the wrong reasons, the Steelers and George Pickens are making NFL headlines once again. It had been a mostly quiet offseason for the young receiver. Known for his outbursts and elite talent, he hasn’t really contributed much in either category quite yet. Instead, he was having a consistent year with few problems.

That all has seemed to shift this week. Against the Cowboys, Pickens had his quietest performance of the year. Not only this, but he had a questionable choice of words on his eye paint. To add to the newsworthy headlines, Pickens was put on a snap count and was outplayed by the likes of Van Jefferson and Calvin Austin.

At this point, it seems like the team and Pickens are at a breaking point, and there is blame on both sides. The Steelers need to sit down and make a decision about the long-term future of Pickens in Pittsburgh. They have two choices, and both options should be to free Pickens.

What can the Steelers do?

The most cut-and-dry option is to plan on moving on from the talented young receiver. This should only be done if you don’t think you can reign him in the long term. If his attitude is that much of a concern that you don’t want to give him a long-term deal, then now is the time to cut bait.

We saw the Steelers trade Chase Claypool for similar issues in his third season. While most thought that the Bears overpaid at the time, trading him when he still had a year left on his rookie deal adds to his value. Pickens would be under control for at least this year and the one after.

This naturally puts the team in more of a bind at receiver than they already are, but keeping him around and not using him is a waste of everyone’s time. Cut bait now, get as much value as you can from him, and rebuild your receiver position.

On the flip side of things, if you intend to keep Pickens around long-term, the team needs to get him more involved on offense. He is only on pace for just over 1,000 yards, and it isn’t like the offense is humming right now. The team has lost two straight and the passing game has mostly been abysmal all year. You need your top receiver to make plays right now.

This doesn’t mean putting him on a snap share. One has to assume that the reason for that was his attitude, and again, if that can’t be reigned in, you need to cut bait. On the flip side, keeping him means you play him like a top receiver. This means he is on the field for the majority of snaps and fabricating plays to get him involved is a must. Every NFL team does that with their superstars.

Pickens has a right to be frustrated. I don’t condone his actions, but seeing your offense slump and the team drop two games straight is frustrating. Pickens is the most explosive and talented player on this offense, and not using him in a slump is foolish.

There are two roads the Steelers can go down right now, and both set Pickens free. Either decide you don’t want him and move on from him or, if you think you can handle his issues, get him more involved and give him more chances to shine. Limiting his snaps and not using him is a waste on your roster.