The Pittsburgh Steelers clearly reached their breaking point with George Pickens. Head coach Mike Tomlin and his team have dealt with high maintenance players before during his tenure but both sides reached the end of the road in a short time.

Just three years into his NFL career, the Steelers decide he was not worth the headaches any longer. Pickens has one year left on his rookie contract and will be due a major pay bump this time next year.

The Steelers will no longer be responsible for getting that deal done and turn the page forward. However, this deal does leave some major questions about their offensive structure for next season.

They did acquire DK Metcalf back in March but lack the supporting cast in the passing game and most importantly have not identified a solid No. 1 quarterback for next season.

This sudden shift has left fans like ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith concerned, demanding answers from the team’s general manager, Omar Khan.

“Omar Khan, I’m getting to the point where I am starting to ask, who the hell is this guy… I was happy for him getting this position,” he said on Wednesday’s episode of First Take. “But how many years do we have to wait for you guys to find a quarterback?

“You got Lamar Jackson in the division, you got Joe Burrow in the division, and you are bringing us Mason Rudolph and Skylar Thomason… You gotta be kidding me!”

Obviously, the frustration of his argument stems from the move of Pickens, but this trade exacerbates the Steelers’ biggest problems under center. A duo of Pickens and Metcalf would have benefitted Rudolph, Thompson, Will Howard or any other play caller taking the snaps.

Instead, they are asking a lot of Metcalf to carry the load of a lackluster air attack. This offense will be driven through their ability to run the ball, an identity they are embracing in full under Arthur Smith.

But the quarterback makes such a difference that cannot be ignored here and as Smith mentions, the Steelers get two of the best ling up against them in four games this season.