The AFC is filled with elite, young quarterbacks that have made instant impacts on their respective franchises.
In general discussions, Joe Burrow, Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen, and Justin Herbert generally are the first quarterbacks listed.
However, Dan Orlovsky has outlined a different quarterback for the 2023 season as one to watch.
He believes Kenny Pickett paired with George Pickens will be an intriguing combination for the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Orlovsky began this NFL Live discussion by saying, “I think I owe them a bit of an apology.”
The Kenny Pickett-George Pickens connection has @danorlovsky7 impressed 👀 pic.twitter.com/WJcN3juzjj
— NFL on ESPN (@ESPNNFL) August 15, 2023
Orlovsky talked about the Pickett-Pickens connection in 2022, and how surprising it was for him.
He talked about several elite QB-WR combinations, asking the NFL Live crew who had the highest QBR to a single target.
“It speaks to how impressive they were when he threw him the football,” Orlovsky proclaimed.
Pickett started 12 games last season, appearing in 13.
His connection with Pickens was nearly instantaneous, as the two rookies found their way in this Pittsburgh offense.
As the team’s on-screen graphic highlights, Pickett had a 98 QBR when throwing to Pickens in 2022.
Pickens finished the year with 52 receptions on 84 targets, averaging 15.4 yards per reception.
If these two have grown together during the offseason, there’s reason to believe they can continue to be a dynamic duo.
Orlovsky compared their potential connection to that of Justin Jefferson and Kirk Cousins.
Pickett will need to make a massive leap as a passer to get close to Cousins, but in Orlovsky’s eyes, it’s not out of the realm of possibility this year.
NEXT: George Pickens Makes Strong Statement About Kenny Pickett After Preseason Game
