Ex-Steelers HC Bill Cowher raises concerning question about George Pickens' future after DK Metcalf's signing

On Tuesday, legendary NFL coach Bill Cowher discussed Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver George Pickens on The Dan Patrick Show.

While discussing various topics related to the Steelers, Cowher highlighted how he was unsure what Pickens' future looked like with the franchise.

Cowher said,

"The biggest question to me on that offensive side is, 'What are you gonna do with George Pickens?' Is he gonna be motivated to play in the last year of his contract? Are you going to extend him, or is there gonna be any degree of getting something for them from the standpoint of trade? So these are conversations that I think are having, but also, there's no deadline to some of these conversations." (5:09)

This offseason, the Steelers traded for and signed star wide receiver DK Metcalf to a long-term contract. At this time, it appears as though Metcalf is set to be the WR1 of the Steelers, something that would push Pickens down the Pittsburgh depth chart heading into the 2025 campaign.

Pickens is also entering a contract year, as Cowher alluded to, and will be looking to sign a long-term contract of his own very soon. If Metcalf is indeed the WR1, there is a chance that Pickens' overall production will decrease with less usage and featuring looks in the offense, especially if the Steelers cannot find an elite-level quarterback to take charge of the offensive unit.

George Pickens 2025 outlook

Since the arrival of Metcalf, the Steelers have remained quiet about the future of Pickens and have instead publicly been in the market for a quarterback. However, that is not to say that internal conversations are not taking place.

Originally drafted in the second round, No. 52 overall by the Steelers in the 2022 NFL draft, Pickens has enjoyed a solid start to his professional career. In each season of his NFL playing career, he has over 51 receptions (52, 63, 59), over 800 receiving yards (801, 1140, 900) and over two receiving touchdowns (4, 5, 3).

Despite this strong career so far, fans and analysts have a common feeling that Pickens has more to offer production-wise. Since entering the league, his QBs have been Kenny Pickett, Justin Fields and Russell Wilson, among others.

While all capable NFL players, Pickens has never had the opportunity to catch footballs from the elite level, superstar talents like many of his other WR counterparts have in their respective careers.