NFL Trade Rumors: Pittsburgh Wide Receiver George Pickens Cleared for Return

The Pittsburgh Steelers should have a key star back for a crucial closing stretch of the 2024 regular season. Wide receiver George Pickens was not on Tuesday's final injury report, indicating he should be good to go for Christmas Day's AFC showdown with the Kansas City Chiefs.

Steelers WR George Pickens is off the injury report for Wednesday’s game vs. the Chiefs and good to go. pic.twitter.com/2k9rl8RQ7Z
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) December 24, 2024

Pickens has been unavailable since suffering a hamstring injury in Week 13. In his absence, the Steelers offense has sputtered, averaging 19 points and 150.7 passing yards per game while losing two of three games.

Pickens is comfortably the Steelers' best pass catcher, and his ability to make contested catches along the sideline has proven to be an ideal match for quarterback Russell Wilson. In their six games together, Wilson has passed for 1626 passing yards and 10 touchdowns to only three interceptions. That production led the Steelers to five wins and 27 points per game.

The Steelers currently are tied with the Baltimore Ravens in the AFC North, and they may very well need to win both remaining games on their schedule to win the division. Pickens' return couldn't come at a better time. He has demonstrated his presence on the field is invaluable to the Steelers offense, and they should be a markedly better team with him available.