George Pickens is like virtually every young, highly drafted NFL wide receiver.

He wants the ball, and he believes he is open enough to get it on just about every passing play.

The Pittsburgh Steelers’ second-round pick, though, hasn’t gotten it frequently through the first two weeks of his NFL career even if he believes he is open approximately every time he takes a step beyond the line of scrimmage.

Pickens, targeted six times for two catches in two games, estimated Tuesday he was open “90% of the time” in the 17-14 loss Sunday to the New England Patriots.

“I just say that because I’m a big guy that runs in the low 4.4s,” Pickens said. “I always have a step on somebody and my step is naturally longer than the other person, and I’m actually fast. I’m always (going to) have a step and always feel like 99% of the time I’m open even though the ball gets there in the air and (the defender) gets time to catch back up. … But I’m open as soon as I get off the line.”

— Chris Adamski (@C_AdamskiTrib) September 20, 2022

Despite logging 78% of all offensive snaps, Pickens has been an afterthought in the passing game. For the second week in a row, Pickens caught one of his three targets. After being held to a 3-yard reception in the season opener at Cincinnati, Pickens had a 23-yard catch late in the first half against New England that was the longest pass play of the day for the Steelers.

That reception with 22 seconds to play in the half was the first time quarterback Mitch Trubisky targeted Pickens. The second came on the final play of the half. Pickens wasn’t targeted again until the fourth quarter when miscommunication on an intermediate route down the left sideline resulted in another incompletion.

“I think earlier I can take shots downfield,” Trubisky said. “I think I could look for 14 more often. George is doing a great job for us. I’ve just got to get these playmakers the football. Whatever we’re out there running, I’ve just got to get them the ball. It really comes down to me making better decisions, being aggressive and putting ourselves in that position.”

Heading into the game Thursday night at Cleveland, Pickens has as many receptions as backup tight end Zach Gentry. He is tied for fifth on the team in catches and is sixth in receiving yards.

“I’d love to get George more involved,” offensive coordinator Matt Canada said. “Those who have been at practice and at camp know how talented he is.”

Expectations for Pickens having an immediate impact as a rookie were heightened when he emerged as the darling of training camp with his body control and contested catches against the first-team defense.

Pickens hasn’t shown any frustration on the field or publicly. He hasn’t earned his NFL stripes as a wide receiver to display his ego, he said.

“It’s not really a big thing to me because it’s my first year,” he said. “It’s how Coach T said it, there are just a lot more games to be played. You can’t define it by one game.”

Or perhaps even three games considering the Steelers had only one day of practice this week between their game Sunday against New England and their appearance Thursday night in Cleveland.

Pickens was blunt when asked whether the Steelers can make changes designed to get him the ball more frequently.

“It’s a short week so there’s not really much you can fix,” he said. “If we played Sunday, I would say we have time. It’s going to be the same demeanor, the same routine.”

If he is perplexed about the lack of passes headed his direction, Pickens also hasn’t expressed it to Trubisky.

“I’m new, and he’s a new quarterback,” Pickens said. “I just go by my day, run my right route. The good thing about football is you have another play, another drive. I take it one play at a time. If I get the ball, it’s cool. If I don’t, it’s cool because you’re not going to get the ball every time.”

Diontae Johnson, the fourth-year wide receiver who is the most tenured Steelers player at the position, has tried to make sure Pickens has remained upbeat during the early-season offensive struggles.

“I’m in his corner helping him out on those days when he gets frustrated or is feeling some type of way about certain plays,” Johnson said. “I’m that person there for him helping him out and telling him to stay locked in because the ball can come to you at any point.”

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