The Pittsburgh Steelers have some big decisions to make this offseason, and at the top of the list is what to do with WR George Pickens.

He just completed the third year of his rookie contract, which is typically the time when players are offered long-term extensions. If they can’t reach an agreement this offseason, he would go into the season without any security for his future and that could potentially cause problems. Several Steelers insiders expressed concern that the team would either have to extend him or trade him to a team that would do so. More and more players are choosing to wait out contracts, and it wouldn’t be shocking if Pickens did the same.

After the Steelers’ playoff loss, Pickens wasn’t ready to think about what this crucial offseason might mean for him.

“To be honest, I’m really just thinking about it right now,” Pickens said via the Steelers’ YouTube. “I can’t even think about the future, only what just happened.”

Pickens has taken a step forward in many ways this year, but he hasn’t quite reached undisputed WR1 status. He made a lot of great plays, but he didn’t consistently catch five or six passes per game and only had 100 or more yards in two games, the last coming in Week 7.

He finished the year with 59 receptions on 103 targets for 900 yards and three touchdowns. His targets and receptions were very close to last season’s totals, but he had 240 fewer yards and two fewer touchdowns. He also missed three games, which held him back a bit. In 17 total games, he was on pace for 71.6 receptions, 1,092.9 yards and 3.6 TDs.

These numbers don’t reflect a typical WR1 and didn’t quite meet the expectations many had for him at the start of the year. With a new quarterback room and offensive coordinator and no great WR2 option other than him, the Steelers needed him to take the next step to be among the league’s best.

At best, Pickens is one of the best receivers in the league. He makes plays that not many can make, like his touchdown catch tonight. However, he has also shown maturity issues in his first three seasons with the team that haven’t really improved with age.

To be fair, his post-match press conference was unremarkable and without any problems. He even praised his team and the growth of several units on offense.

Is the juice with Pickens worth it? Can the Steelers be so confident about him that they can commit to him for several years with a long-term contract extension? If not, can they be happy with him playing out the final year of his rookie contract without any issues? These will be the questions we discuss all season long.