The Pittsburgh Steelers will be asking their receiving core to complete a very tall task: fill George Pickens' shoes for the near future. There have been mixed reports on his return time. Some think that he will only miss the team's upcoming Week 15 game against the Philadelphia Eagles, and others see him coming back around Week 18. With how finicky hamstring injuries can be, there is no telling when he will return, and if he will be at full strength whenever he finally does return to the field.
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Steelers' Russell Wilson celebrates with wide receiver George Pickens during a 2024 regular season game.
One of the receivers that is expected to take on an expanded role is Mike Williams. The trade acquisition had just three receptions for 36 yards in the team's Week 14 game. Now that they are actually preparing for life without Pickens, Williams will hopefully get more targets and touches and show why the Steelers acquired him in the first place.
On Pro Football Talk, Mike Florio talked about how he needs to see more out of Williams in his "Show Me Something" segment, and he mentioned that this is the perfect time for the veteran receiver to prove himself in this offense.
"Show me something, Mike Williams... Mike Tomlin, in one of his great sound bites, said after last week's win over the Browns, 'Maybe one of these days you'll start believing me when I tell you the other receivers are pretty good...' This is his opportunity, as we're getting closer to the postseason. If they're going to rest Pickens until he's 100%, they need one of the other receivers to step up. Williams is the most accomplished of the bunch by far. This is his moment. This is his time in Philadelphia, chance for the Steelers to win their first game in Philadelphia since [October] 1965. Show me something, Mike Williams."
Williams has had a rough time in Pittsburgh so far. His first catch for the Steelers was certainly a memorable one, but he was not even targeted over the next three weeks. He was not even supposed to be on the field when he caught the touchdown pass against the Washington Commanders.
Stephanie Scarbrough / Associated Press
Mike Williams scores his first touchdown with the Steelers.
The Steelers wanted to slowly get Williams acclimated to their offense, which is why they have not given him many looks. However, he has been with the Steelers for five weeks and was even named as a starter against the Cleveland Browns in Week 14 to fill in for Pickens. They need him to show up and make an impact now.
Steelers May Have To Win Another Shootout
The Eagles have won nine games in a row entering this match with Pittsburgh. On top of that, Saquon Barkley is on pace to have the single greatest season by a running back in NFL history. Nothing about this game will be easy for the Steelers, and they will need every able body to do some work to keep the game close, let alone win in Philadelphia.
Alysa Rubin / Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers win Week 10 of 2024 against the Washington Commanders after Mike Williams' game-winning touchdown catch.
Williams needs to be a part of that effort. While he is not as talented as Pickens, he plays a very similar style as him: big receiver that can go deep and catch the contested 50/50 ball more than 50% of the time. With how Russell Wilson loves his "moon ball," Williams should be ready to take over the game.
Not only does Williams need to ball out to secure victory, but he needs it so he can secure himself a job in 2025. He signed a one-year deal with the New York Jets before being traded to Pittsburgh. If he can't produce in this brutal stretch run, he may just have to hope for a backup role somewhere. If he does well, he should not have a problem getting another contract, whether it's in Pittsburgh or somewhere else entirely.
What do you think about Williams having to prove himself against the Eagles? Let us know in the comments.
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