One of many high storylines to look at main as much as the 2025 NFL Draft was whether or not or not the Pittsburgh Steelers would commerce George Pickens or choose a large receiver excessive within the draft to go away their choices open main as much as the season. Neither of these two issues occurred, but it surely doesn’t sound prefer it’s been clean crusing behind closed doorways.
“His time in Pittsburgh, in lots of people’s minds, is restricted,” NFL insider James Palmer stated in a video posted on Bleacher Report’s feed. “…It has not gone nicely behind the scenes in any respect between George Pickens and the Pittsburgh Steelers and all people concerned. And that is main as much as, might he play for them in 2025? Actually might. Would he be departing after the season? Sure, in lots of people’s minds.”
Pickens’ long-term future in Pittsburgh was sealed once they traded for DK Metcalf and gave him a brand new contract price $33 million per season in new cash. The possibilities of the Steelers giving one other costly contract to a receiver is already slim. These probabilities appear particularly slim for a receiver like Pickens who’s had maturity points on and off the sphere.
Within the days main as much as the draft, it appeared like issues have been spiraling in the direction of a commerce. The Dallas Cowboys have been amongst a number of groups who reached out about Pickens. Jerry Jones even stated they’d two substantive trades they have been engaged on to be accomplished both throughout or after the draft. Within the midst of that, sooner or later during the last month, Pickens unfollowed the Steelers on social media.
No commerce occurred, however ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler has since reported that Pickens “flirted” with making a proper commerce request to the Steelers. He additionally said that commerce talks had cooled and that Pickens desires to be in Pittsburgh, for what it’s price.
Even earlier than the Metcalf commerce, there have been fears that Pickens might create points heading into the ultimate 12 months of his rookie contract and not using a new deal. It wouldn’t be uncommon conduct in as we speak’s NFL for that to occur, and Pickens already has a historical past of making minor issues. Will he create points this season as Metcalf takes the WR1 job away from him?
“All indicators level to a departure of George Pickens sooner or later earlier than the 2026 season,” Palmer stated. “Whether or not that’s some level between now and the beginning of the season. I don’t see a commerce occurring proper now. We’ll see…However I feel his time is restricted there.”
I’ve my doubts about what Pickens’ commerce worth will probably be on the deadline as a seven-game rental set to develop into an unrestricted free agent in March, however perhaps that finally ends up being a logical time to half methods. If not, he has an opportunity at returning a third-round compensatory draft choose within the 2027 NFL Draft.
GM Omar Khan certain appeared to suggest they plan on having each Pickens and Metcalf this upcoming season in his press convention on the NFL homeowners assembly a couple of weeks in the past, and their actions through the draft backed that up.
