Steelers' Head Coach Mike Tomlin Expecting 'Great Growth' From 2nd Year Duo Kenny Pickett And George Pickens

Tomlin said he's looking for all the second-year guys to build on their experience as rookies to be more consistent, but also add more explosive plays. He then got into specifics on what he wants to see in the upcoming season from the former Georgia Bulldogs standout pass catcher. 

"He was good a year ago with no exposure and I want to see that displayed in everyday things," he told King. "He's a splash play-capable guy but I'm more interested in him making routine plays routinely. You saw some of that today which is good."    

Pickens played a huge role in helping the Bulldogs be a powerhouse and said he thinks that first play is a hint to more deep passes that will help him thrive in year two.     

Steelers Tomlin Not Really Confident About Anything Yet In 2023

Tomlin is not a fan of the term franchise quarterback, so he was hesitant to use the term when asked in his first offseason press conference, but did say that Pickett is the QB1 going forward. King asked about his level of confidence moving forward with the former University of Pittsburgh standout and the veteran head coach said on day two of training camp that he was not sure of anything. 

"That's a conscious decision of mine," he said about not being confident so early in the offseason. "I'm not looking for comfort. I'm looking to make people uncomfortable and to challenge people. I think that accelerates the developmental process as opposed to coming in here looking to feel comfortable."  

Tomlin might not be seeking comfort, but Pickett building on his connections with Pickens and the rest of the receiving core has to be a priority as training camp progresses. He already has a strong partnership forming with Pickens and had good chemistry with tight end, Pat Freiermuth, but is still working on improving his relationship with Johnson.  

As much as training camp is about building for the season to come, it's also about experimenting with different looks and scenarios in a practice setting. The team has done some experimenting with Peterson at free safety with Minkah Fitzpatrick easing his way into camp. Tomlin will probably look to more experimenting on both sides of the ball to make sure players aren't stuck feeling too comfortable. 

As he and the fanbase look for Pickett to take that second-year leap, watch out in training camp for how Tomlin will challenge not only Pickett, but all his young players in an attempt to speed up their development. 

Do you agree with Tomlin that Pickens needs to focus on routine things to continue his ascension? Does it matter to you that he wouldn't give an answer to whether he's confident in Pickett going into year two?