The Pittsburgh Steelers are different from the majority of NFL teams because they usually deal with the process of “retooling” their team as opposed to “rebuilding” the team. After a few years of questionable draft decisions in 2022, the Steelers went into the coal mine of the NFL Draft looking for a few bushes of coal to keep the future of their competitive fire burning. However, against all odds, they exited the mine with a large, raw, uncut diamond disguised as a football player.
Although brimming with confidence, the talent of second-round draft choice George Pickens was squandered from the beginning by being subjected to multiple quarterbacks and multiple offensive coordinators and offensive schematics and schemes that could only be defined as a “mule train.”
Mark Powell recently posted an article on fansided.com: “Steelers just received a lifeline in quest to replace George Pickens.” Here are a few excerpts from that article. “The Pittsburgh Steelers find themselves in a familiar position entering the 2025 season, as they lack the necessary targets for new quarterback Aaron Rodgers,” he says. “While the Steelers traded for DK Metcalf early this offseason, they also dealt George Pickens to the Cowboys just a few weeks later. Omar Khan may have one last trick up his sleeve, or else the Steelers will head into the regular season without a legitimate weapon opposite Metcalf. 49ers wide receiver Jauan Jennings could be the answer.”
“Jennings is a much more complete player than Pickens, who mostly thrived as a downfield target for Russell Wilson last season. Instead, Jennings is one of the best blocking receivers in the NFL, and isn’t afraid to go over the middle. He is the perfect mold of a Pittsburgh wideout, and similar to former Steelers wide receiver Hines Ward in many ways. He is not as talented as Pickens on tape, but he is not afraid to put his body on the line and do everything in his power to help his team win football games.”
Now wait a minute, stop the presses! “Steelers just received a lifeline in quest to replace George Pickens.”
I must be viewing this situation a bit differently. Is Mark Powell viewing the logic of the George Pickens deal from the bridge of the “Titanic?” Pittsburgh didn’t need a lifeline to replace George Pickens because they already had George Pickens. However, a few folks had blinders on and earphones in. It appears that a few folks not only were listening to the noise, they were creating the noise. Do some of these writers have a secret “bro love” for the wide receivers of the 49ers? First, it was wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk who was coveted until he wasn’t coveted. Now again, according to Mark Powell, “the Steelers will head into the regular season without a legitimate weapon opposite Metcalf.” Entering the 2025 season, the Steelers needed to pair up a legitimate receiver with George Pickens, not the other way around. When will folks realize that wearing a lifejacket just to remain afloat in shark-infested waters might be debatable? Why, because what is the point of prolonging the agony when eventually you’re going to end up as an entrée for “Jaws” anyway? Powell still wasn’t finished. He seems to be a glutton for punishment, continuing his “illogical logic,” writing, “Jennings is a much more complete player than Pickens, who mostly thrived as a downfield target for Russell Wilson last season. Instead, Jennings is one of the best blocking receivers in the NFL and isn’t afraid to go over the middle.”
Based on raw talent, George Pickens is possibly the most talented wide receiver to come along in the NFL in more than two decades. Yet some bloodthirsty, yellow-hearted journalist has the nerve to question the heart of George Pickens because: “Jennings is one of the best blocking receivers in the NFL and isn’t afraid to go over the middle.” In all probability, Mr. Powell wouldn’t walk across the middle of a brightly lit football field at midnight without being accompanied by a platoon of security guards as well as sporting the latest version of Depends. By the way, Jennings still plays for the 49ers.
What’s the use of providing the Black and Gold with an inflatable lifeboat that has a slow leak without an accurate indicator as to how long it will remain afloat? Pickens is meant to catch passes, not to run across the middle of the field just to provide a cheap thrill for a spineless observer when a player is laid out as the result of a vicious tackle.
Former Steelers QB Kenny Pickett was a recent lifejacket that the University of Pittsburgh threw to the Steelers. However, Pickett was disposed of and they were fortunate to make it to shore with lifelines provided by former QBs Russell Wilson and Justin Fields.
But that didn’t matter because they proceeded to leave the safety of the “beach of success” and dive back into the “sea of Piranhas,” aka the NFL AFC North, again left deserted to flail and flounder in the deep waters of personnel futility. After that ill-advised decision, they sent out distress calls to a captain, heading a ship that many critics argued was using an outdated compass to guide his ill-fated ship and all who chose to board it straight into the professional football “Bermuda Triangle.” Could this ill-advised transaction end up becoming “Aaron’s folly?” For the sake of “the standard being the standard,” let’s hope not because the prior standards no longer meet the definition for excellence. Remember the scorpion and the frog. The scorpion was unable to swim and convinced the frog to allow him to hitch a ride across the water on his back. When they reached the other side, the scorpion fatally stung the frog. The frog said, “I saved you, why would you kill me?” The scorpion replied with a smirk on his face: “Well, homeboy, it’s just my nature.”
As far as the relationship of Aaron Rodgers and the Pittsburgh Steelers is concerned, ask yourself, which one is the frog and which one is the scorpion?