Insider: Steelers Could Trade George Pickens Due to Issues

The Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver could be in hot water already.

Dec 4, 2022; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver George Pickens (14) on the field during warm up prior to the game against the Atlanta Falcons at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports / Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

PITTSBURGH -- The Pittsburgh Steelers hit the field to begin training camp at Saint Vincent College, and while most of the headlines revolved around Russell Wilson's injury and Justin Fields throwing a dime to Van Jefferson for a deep touchdown, there was some drama that hit the field - and the headlines - as well.

Late in practice, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette's Ray Fittipaldo reported that wide receiver George Pickens shared a heated exchange with wide receivers coach Zach Azzani. The back-and-forth happened when Azzani didn't like how Pickens handled his assignment on a play. Afterward, Fittipaldo reported that other wide receivers came up to Pickens, but the third-year wideout was "visibly upset."

Now, the speculation around Pickens grows. With Day 1 of training camp having issues, Fittipaldo believes the Steelers could have a line with Pickens, and it's up to the wide receiver not to cross it.

"Listen, George is a pretty sharp guy. He’s gotta see the writing on the wall, right? I mean, they got rid of Diontae Johnson because he was a problem. And George Pickens has to know that if he doesn’t turn around his act and act in a more appropriate manner on and off the field this season, that he might be the next guy out the door," Fittipaldo told 93.7 The Fan. "Or, at the very least, he’s not gonna get a second contract with the Steelers. So, I think George is smart. I think, after today, he probably realizes if he didn’t already know it, he is gonna be coached hard.

"This is a new offensive staff, it’s not gonna be the same. And we’ll see how this goes, but I thought that was a pretty interesting development that it happened today late in practice."

The Steelers did everything they could to avoid drama this season, moving on from Diontae Johnson and Kenny Pickett due to attitude issues. Pickens dealt with some backlash last season for his efforts on the field and some heated exchanges on the sideline.

While he's one of the most talented members of the Steelers roster, the team continues to pursue a splash wide receiver trade. Anything can happen, but after the offseason they conducted, it's hard to imagine they let anyone cause distractions on this team.

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