Cincinnati Bengals offensive coordinator Brian Callahan says the team really liked Pittsburgh Steelers wideout George Pickens during the run up to the 2022 NFL draft.
Before his team plays the Steelers on Sunday, Callahan said the following about the second-round pick, according to ESPN’s Ben Baby: “We saw him as a first-round talent… He’s a very good wide receiver. I wish he didn’t go to Pittsburgh.”
Those comments are reminiscent of things Bengals coaches have said about Tee Higgins, who fell to the second round a few years ago and has played like a first-round talent in Cincinnati.
As for Pickens, he’s certainly looked the part with 370 yards and a touchdown while averaging nearly 13 yards per catch over his first nine games as a pro. He’s slowly getting more usage amid a poor quarterback situation and the film looks much better than the numbers thus far.
Either way, the Bengals will have to worry about Pickens for the foreseeable future, including Sunday when they will continue to grind without No. 1 corner Chidobe Awuzie, who just underwent successful ACL surgery.
