After a highly productive offseason, the Pittsburgh Steelers seemed to be poised to push for an AFC North title. Many pundits were hyping up the team’s additions and warning the rest of the AFC.
Now, through two preseason games, the hype around the Steelers has calmed and the bandwagon has plenty of great seats available. The Steelers offense has looked dreadful and many are questioning if the new additions actually made the team better or not.
ESPN has updated their NFL power rankings with one preseason game left to play and in the rankings the Steelers dropped one spot to No. 16. They were bumped out of the top 15 by the New York Jets who rose two spots to leapfrog Pittsburgh.
Steelers writer Brooke Pryor noted in the rankings that wide receiver George Pickens is the player on the hot seat this season.
The trading of Diontae Johnson in the offseason put Pickens, the 2022 second-round pick, firmly in the top receiver slot, but with that comes more responsibility and pressure — especially ahead of an offseason when he becomes eligible for a contract extension. Games like last year’s two-touchdown, 195-yard performance against the Bengals show Pickens is capable of carrying an offense, but he’s also temperamental and prone to sideline outbursts when things aren’t going his way. Pickens’ ability to grow and mature will largely dictate the success of the Steelers’ passing game — and his ability to land a lucrative extension in 2025.
If the Steelers offense doesn’t show improvement over last season, Pickens won’t be the only member of the Steelers on the hot seat.
