The Pittsburgh Steelers are taking a calculated threat by buying and selling WR George Pickens. Although Omar Khan dismissed parallels to final yr, the Steelers must discover a option to change his manufacturing. However even when all goes incorrect on the Steelers’ finish, beat author Ray Fittipaldo doesn’t consider the crew will come to remorse the deal.
“George Pickens goes out and has 4 consecutive thousand-yards season for the Dallas Cowboys, it might nonetheless be the correct determination for the Pittsburgh Steelers to eliminate him,” Fittipaldo informed 93.7 The Fan’s Joe Starkey when requested if Pittsburgh might remorse the transfer. “I believe that’s the place this franchise was. They don’t need him on the crew any longer. He didn’t wanna be right here any longer. So if you think about all these issues, I believe it was the correct name.”
The notion Pickens didn’t need to stay a Steeler has been disputed a number of methods. Chatting with the media Friday, Khan confirmed Pickens didn’t request a commerce and in his first assembly with Dallas reporters, Pickens famous he came upon concerning the commerce when everybody else did Wednesday morning. Extra reporting indicated Pickens needed to play out the season with the Steelers, citing a detailed bond with head coach Mike Tomlin.
Pittsburgh’s causes for the commerce are apparent even when the choice to commerce him stays debatable. Pickens struggled to be knowledgeable with on-field outbursts, a behavior for displaying up late, and dear penalties and fines. Slightly than ready for a possible 2027 compensatory choice, the Steelers assure a 2026 third-rounder.
“I believe a 3rd spherical decide was in all probability about pretty much as good as you are able to do,” Fittipaldo mentioned.
Reportedly, the Cowboys elevated their supply from a fourth-round decide throughout draft weekend, one thing Khan alluded to in noting the crew beforehand had discussions about Pickens however no affords made sense till Dallas’ last push. It’s much like Martavis Bryant and Chase Claypool, the Raiders and Bears upping their proposal till placing a deal.
Finally, how the Steelers – and the followers – really feel concerning the deal will come all the way down to how the crew replaces Pickens. If Pittsburgh makes an outdoor transfer to substitute his manufacturing, it’ll take the sting out of no matter success he has in Dallas. Or if the Steelers confidence in inside choices like Roman Wilson show true, the crew may have a long-term gameplan to fill his sneakers. But when the crew finds themselves in an identical state of affairs as 2024, the passing recreation feeling incomplete with out a No. 2 receiver reverse a blanketed stud in DK Metcalf, the Steelers will definitely really feel the warmth, if not remorse.
