First Call: Steelers vet backs Ryan Clark’s claim about George Pickens; injury concerns at corner for Ravens
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Thursday’s “First Call” has quite a comparison for Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver George Pickens. We track some news and notes about the Steelers’ season opener against the San Francisco 49ers. And the Baltimore Ravens are getting depleted at one specific position.
Is Ryan right?
Justin Jefferson of the Minnesota Vikings is considered by many to be the best wide receiver in the National Football League. Steelers pass catcher George Pickens is entering his second year, and his career is off to a promising start.
But when former Steelers safety turned ESPN NFL analyst Ryan Clark said Pickens is “much more talented” than Jefferson,” that statement was met with a lot of doubt.
Ryan Clark On George Pickens:
“George Pickens is much more talented than Justin Jefferson.”#steelers
????@ESPNNFL pic.twitter.com/rmfDrZrfjR
— matthew luciow (@Luciow1992) August 16, 2023
Note, Clark didn’t say Pickens was “better” than Jefferson. Just that he had more raw talent.
Still, some thought Clark was nuts for making the comparison. Steelers veteran cornerback Patrick Peterson appears to be on Clark’s side, though.
“I definitely can see it. (Pickens) is very raw. He’s very unpredictable when the ball is coming his way, as far as his catch ability,” Peterson told reporters at training camp. “I called his hands magnets, because if the ball is coming anywhere near him, he finds a way to come down with a catch. But Justin is a savant of the position.”
Peterson says Jefferson has polish that can only come with experience.
“He’s really in tune in how to manipulate the defensive back, how to set his routes up,” Peterson continued. “He’s going into Year 4. GP is going into Year 2. There are still some things that he wants to get better at. But the talent? I probably have to agree with Ryan on that one.”
I get the nuance Clark and Peterson are dealing out. But, hey, Martavis Bryant had wild natural talent too. It doesn’t mean anything if the player can’t hone his craft, Jefferson has clearly done that. Pickens may be on the way.
If Clark and Peterson are right, look for Pickens’ stats to explode over the next few seasons. Jefferson had 128 catches, 1,809 yards and eight touchdowns a year ago. Pickens had 801 receiving yards on 52 catches with four touchdowns as a rookie.
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Opening reunion?
When the Steelers host the 49ers in Week 1 of the regular season, one of San Francisco’s star players would like to have the game be a backdrop for a reunion of sorts.
49ers Pro Bowler Talanoa Hufanga is close with Steelers Hall of Famer Troy Polamalu. Both played safety at USC. And Polamalu has been a bit of a mentor for Hufanga.
He recently told NBC Sports San Francisco that he’d love to have Polamalu at the game.
“We’ve talked about it,” Hufanga said. “Obviously, I think that it would be cool for him to be there. I don’t know, truly, because he does have kids and his kids are starting to play football and stuff, so that could be a busy weekend for him as well. But if he’s out there, it would be awesome.”
Hufanga hopes to see his friend Troy Polamalu at the 49ers-Steelers game in Pittsburgh ???? pic.twitter.com/QhSvCscA3O
— 49ers on NBCS (@NBCS49ers) August 15, 2023
Hufanga was a first-team All-Pro in 2022 as a second-year player. He totaled four interceptions, 97 tackles, nine pass breakups, and two forced fumbles.
Being Brock
Speaking of the 49ers, reporters in San Francisco are keeping a close eye on quarterback Brock Purdy as the opener against the Steelers looms.
David Lombardi of The Athletic reports that Purdy has thrown 10 interceptions in 197 training camp throws.
“You never want interceptions in any situation,” 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan said via a post at ProFootballTalk.com. “There’s never one answer. Each one’s different. But I definitely like having interceptions a lot more in practice than in games. And one thing Brock does is he lets it rip. He’s not worried about anything else. Especially not worried about people counting his interceptions at practice.”
Purdy is coming off elbow surgery and has just recently ramped up his participation in training camp without throwing restrictions. He had been resting every third day until recently.
“That doesn’t mean (interceptions) are all right,” Shanahan continued. “But I do like him letting it rip, and I like him learning from things that he can get away with, things he can’t get away with.”
Purdy threw four interceptions in 286 passing attempts between the regular season and playoffs last year.
Blow to Baltimore
Baltimore Ravens Pro Bowl cornerback Marlon Humphrey needs foot surgery. Injuries at that position have become all too common in Baltimore.
According to Ravens coach John Harbaugh, it has not yet been determined how long Humphrey will be sidelined. He described the injury as “lingering” for Humphrey.
Baltimore’s other starting cornerback, Rock Ya-Sin, has been sidelined for two weeks with a knee injury. According to ESPN.com’s Jamison Hensley “other cornerbacks who have been sidelined all week are Jalyn Armour-Davis, Arthur Maulet and Damarion Williams, who is expected to be out until October after having surgery on his left ankle this week. The Ravens also lost Trayvon Mullen, a 2019 second-round pick by the Raiders, to a season-ending toe injury before camp began.”
Hensley says Baltimore’s top cornerbacks at practice Wednesday were Brandon Stephens, who is a safety that has been forced to switch positions, and Kevon Seymour, who is on his fourth team in his six-year career.