The Pittsburgh Steelers buying and selling extensive receiver George Pickens to the Dallas Cowboys Wednesday morning wasn’t a shock. The timing was although, because the Steelers waited till after the 2025 NFL Draft to maneuver the fourth-year receiver who’s getting into a contract 12 months.
Regardless of the unusual timing, the Steelers seemingly did nicely within the commerce, touchdown a 2026 third-round choose and a 2027 fifth-round choose for Pickens and a 2027 sixth-round choose heading to Dallas.
For ESPN’s Seth Walder, it’s a commerce that brings “good compensation” for the Steelers, though it pushes them farther from being a contender. In a chunk grading the transfer, Walder gave the Steelers a B+ and the Cowboys a B-.
“For the Steelers, that is good compensation. The league broadly knew they needed to maneuver on from Pickens, they usually nonetheless acquired a Day 2 choose again. Pittsburgh already acquired Pickens’ alternative in DK Metcalf earlier this offseason,” Walder writes. “Whereas the 2 wideouts may have performed collectively, there’s an apparent overlap of their types, and it actually seems that the Metcalf acquisition was in anticipation of shedding Pickens.
Nevertheless, the Steelers as soon as once more have a receiver downside. Behind Metcalf on the depth chart are Calvin Austin III, Robert Woods and Roman Wilson.”
After initially being provided a fourth-round choose for Pickens throughout the draft, in keeping with The Athletic’s Dianna Russini, the Steelers held out and acquired a third-round choose for the younger receiver. That allowed them to get some strong compensation for him within the 2026 NFL Draft, a draft that will likely be held in Pittsburgh and one by which the Steelers seemingly have their sights set on discovering a quarterback.
However the transfer additionally opens up a major gap at receiver as soon as once more, one thing the Steelers handled final season behind Pickens. The Steelers have DK Metcalf however will likely be relying on veteran Robert Woods and younger receivers Calvin Austin III and Roman Wilson to step up on the place.
It’s not a fantastic place to be in, but it surely’s a worthwhile trade-off for the Steelers, who transfer on from a participant who has created fairly just a few complications in his three years with the franchise.
Whereas it’d assist the Steelers within the 2026 NFL Draft and past, the 2025 season could possibly be a difficult one for them. Pickens is gone and the Steelers nonetheless don’t have a solution from 41-year-old quarterback Aaron Rodgers.
“The final piece of the puzzle is how this pertains to Aaron Rodgers. With no second receiver subsequent to Metcalf, Pittsburgh is that a lot farther from being a right away contender,” Walder added concerning the Pickens commerce. “That makes bringing in Rodgers slightly more durable to justify — even when the Steelers’ choices at QB are extraordinarily restricted with the draft within the rearview mirror. Maybe Kirk Cousins could possibly be one other route?”
The transfer off Pickens does increase some questions in regards to the viability of Rodgers coming to Pittsburgh, however the Pittsburgh Submit-Gazette’s Ray Fittipaldo mentioned Wednesday morning that he doesn’t suppose the Pickens commerce has any have an effect on on Rodgers’ state of affairs.
It’s a puzzling transfer general, strictly because of the timing, however it on paper, the Steelers did nicely with a third-round choose in return. They’re now arrange properly with fairly the warfare chest of draft picks in 2026 to probably be aggressive and go get that doable franchise quarterback in what seems to be a very good QB class subsequent 12 months.
