Steelers Would Likely Get An Unusual Benefit From Signing Odell Beckham Jr

The Pittsburgh Steelers have had wide receiver issues this season. It started when they traded Diontae Johnson to the Carolina Panthers and failed to find his proper replacement. While Johnson's apparent attitude since leaving Pittsburgh has validated the team moving on, the fact that they never found an adequate replacement to partner with George Pickens has been worrisome. 

The question that kept coming up was, "What if Pickens gets hurt?" Now, the team is living that exact scenario. Pickens suffered a hamstring injury before the Week 14 game against the Cleveland Browns and did not play. Quarterback Russell Wilson spread the ball to numerous receivers, leading Head Coach Mike Tomlin to chide the media for questioning the receiving room. However, Pickens' lack of availability isn't the only issue. There are also concerns about his antics. 

He is known to be a hot head and has gotten in multiple physical altercations this season, including in the Week 12 game against the Browns where he fought Greg Newsome II. It wasn't just the fight that upset people; it was also that he persisted in talking trash about the Browns despite losing to them. 

While no one questions Pickens' talent, he has the potential to be a top receiver; most wish he'd let his in-game performance do the talking. 

Former NFL General Manager Doug Whaley recently joined the 93.7 The Fan Morning Show. He was asked if he would consider signing Odell Beckham Jr. since he and the Miami Dolphins chose to part ways. 

"Why not," said Whaley. "Here's the only reason I would say it: it would be more for off the field than on the field. Meaning he may give you something on the field, but he could come in and get in George Pickens' ear and be like, 'Hey, listen. What's your goal? Here's how you need to go about it. I had instant stardom and fandom in New York City, one of the biggest cities in the world, and this is the traps I fell into, but this is how I overcame it, and here's how you need to go about it if you want to reach that ultimate goal of being one of the best wide receivers in the game and be a professional.' Right now, you don't really have that older voice in that room that has produced that high level."

Whaley said he bets Beckham was someone that Pickens looked up to as he was dreaming about playing in the pros. Pickens would have been about 13 years old when Beckham was drafted in the first round of 2014. That means he would have witnessed Beckham's incredible talent, but he would have also seen his poor choices. 

Much like Pickens, no one questioned Beckham's abilities, and much like Pickens, he tended to be very physical, fighting and even administering some questionable hits. There were also his elaborate touchdown celebrations, uniform violations, and trash-talking. Let's not forget that the New York Giants haven't won a playoff game since Beckham's infamous boat photo supposedly jinxed the team when he was partying instead of preparing for the postseason. 

Father Time has caught up to Beckham, and he is not as productive on the field as he once was. However, if he could be the guy that Pickens would listen to, the signing might be unlikely, but it would be worth exploring.

Steelers' Offense Looks Lost Without George Pickens

While they managed to pull off a win in their second Browns game without Pickens, the loss to the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 15 highlighted how much this offense needs the young receiver. 

Other depth receivers attempted to step up and fill in for him, but it wasn't the same. Regardless, Whaley said the Steelers shouldn't rush Pickens to return; having him healthy for the playoffs is far more important, but Offensive Coordinator Arthur Smith must get very creative with what he's got if they plan to beat the Baltimore Ravens in Week 16. 

Do you think Beckham could have a positive impact on Pickens? Click to comment below. 

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