Steelers wide receiver George Pickens’ time with the club is limited, according to senior NFL reporter James Palmer in a piece for Bleacher Report (video link). Palmer expects Pickens to be out of Pittsburgh at some point before the 2026 season, either as a result of a pre-deadline trade in 2025 or simply because the Steelers allow the contract-year player to depart in free agency next March.
In light of recent trade reports regarding Pickens – reports in which Pittsburgh was said to be both making and receiving calls on the Georgia product – Palmer’s report does not come as a surprise. Questions about Pickens’ maturity have dogged him before and after he turned pro, and Palmer says “it has not gone well behind the scenes at all” between Pickens and the team.
Aside from any off-field issues the Steelers might have with the 24-year-old deep threat, moving on from him would be consistent with their standard operating procedure. As our Sam Robinson noted as part of the pre-draft trade chatter surrounding Pickens, Pittsburgh tends to authorize one notable contract for its WR corps while filling out the rest of the depth chart with cost-controlled talent. Since the Steelers invested both significant draft capital and a high-end contract into recent trade acquisition D.K. Metcalf, it stands to reason that they would move on from Pickens before he gets his second NFL deal.
Still, the team does plan to compete for a postseason berth in 2025, and whatever headaches Pickens might bring to the locker room, he has performed as well as could be expected with less-than-stellar quarterback play during his first three years in the NFL. He led the league with an 18.1 yards-per-catch rate in 2023 as part of a 63/1,140/5 performance, and he likely would have approached or eclipsed the 1,100-yard mark again in 2024 if he had not missed three games due to injury (the only three contests he has missed in his career).
Plus, although Palmer confirms the Steelers did a great deal of research on the 2025 class of college wideouts, they did not use any of their seven selections on a pass catcher. Last week’s addition of Robert Woods notwithstanding, Pittsburgh’s WR corps would be dealt a notable blow if Pickens were to be traded now.
Palmer does not expect a trade to happen in the immediate future, instead suggesting that the November deadline would be a more likely timeframe for such a deal to take place. If they keep him in the fold through the start of the 2025 campaign, the Steelers would presumably only move Pickens before the deadline if they are out of playoff contention. Otherwise, it would seem as if the team would retain him through the end of the year and perhaps position itself for a compensatory pick if he indeed signs elsewhere in 2026.
“Still, the team does plan to compete for a postseason berth in 2025“
Their QB room says otherwise.
Beat me to it. Who’s throwing to their WR’s? Only scrubs are on the roster and available.
Becasue regardless of what you TWO think. THEY (meaning the Steelers organization) think they have a good shot to make the playoffs either with an outside QB acquisition OR with Rudolph. Period.
From google: Mason Rudolph has a career win-loss record of 14-14-1. This includes a 9-8-1 record as a starter. In his six-year NFL career, he has played in 29 regular season games, with 18 starts.
Great! Another one and done playoff for the franchise. Mike T is the master of that.
If I was Pickens I’d want out by 2025. However his attitude and general malaise say nobody probably wants to invest in him. I want to know what part of the Steelers draft personnel scouts WR’s who can become head cases. They seem to find every one.
Either way, it’s a make or break year for him. He hasn’t shown himself to be an Antonio Brown type of receiver yet and if it’s another year of pouting, quitting on plays and diva-like behavior, you wonder what his market will be. He just refuses to get out of his own way
Smartest comments I’ve ever heard on the draft and why I ALWAYS say trading BACK makes more sense than trading UP.
link to x.com
@Unclemike…I completely agree with you except for the “nobody wants to invest in him” part. Someone will pay the guy. He’s far too talented and someone “the Raiders” will pay him because a highly talented receiver is what they need and they’ll deal with the headache to go and get what they want. Whether or not it works out…we will see. But we’ve all seen what has happened with Steeler castoffs and it isn’t pretty.
Rooneys and Maras never allow full rebuild. There was no need for Metcalf. Burn it to the ground.
But…but…Tomlin’s never had a losing season. That seems to be enough for Rooney and national media
Might just be me but I think Tomlin and Daboll have both just about run out of rope. After years of not getting anywhere and running in place rebuilding seems inevitable whether they want to or not. The longer they wait the harder it will be.
I really believe that Rooney and Tomlin have this strange belief in the magic of the logo and that somehow, they’ll just always be in the hunt
Yeah, they have a real hole at the QB position, but they have numerous other problems or question marks that sure make them appear to be a weak sister to teams like Baltimore, KC, Buffalo etc.
Some fans place a great deal of trust in the O-line suddenly becoming better, that the guys they drafted for the D-line will magically make a big difference or that the secondary will be stronger. But it’s like playing the lottery. I can hope all I want but the best I do is get a few bucks back after the drawing that enables me to play again. That’s the Steelers’ mentality. They hang a great deal of their thinking on those few crumbs when the shock of watching them get manhandled over the last five games should be the fresh whiff of napalm
They’re stuck in the middle year after year. Even if Rodgers makes it here, it’s hard to see them being much more than that this coming season
“Pittsburgh was said to be both taking and receiving calls on the Georgia product”
In my mind taking and receiving calls mean the same thing. Should it be making and receiving?
Either way, not being a grammar nazi as much as making sure I’m not losing too many brain cells to adult beverages.
Yep, should have been “making.” Thank you.
I agree..thought same thing..had to google difference. Quiet slow morning here..lol. Taking means.getting calls not expected, random…receiving is getting calls back. Expected.
Back to smoking ribs for mothers day here.
You guys are reminding me of the most passive aggressive city slogan in America: “Trenton Makes, the World Takes.”
Why wait? Send Pickens to cowboys and try to get some picks maybe even Joe Milton lol
I was kind of surprised this very trade didn’t happen during the draft. Maybe they talked and the offer wasn’t more than a 5th round pick or later. I just don’t think teams are eager to grab Pickens given the things they’ve seen during his time here
He can be coached and mentored. He’s not PERMANENT damaged goods imo. He needs a environment change
Why would you trade for DK and the immediately downgrade your receivers corp?
Imagine what a malcontent pain in the a$$ you’d have to be for your team to want to get rid of you? Even if you have real talent?
Seems like they hate having Pickens in the building but couldn’t trade him when he was far and away their number one receiver. It’s easier to be done with Pickens when you know where those targets are going.
And this from the team chasing Aaron Rodgers 🤣
And this, from a fan of the Cleveland Browns. And their “QB room”🤫
Traci don’t be a hero…but i bet you know where you can stick that hero sub
What a damned mess. No clear picture at QB and now another disgruntled WR, who is going to be one “I’m open and nobody is throwing to me!” from pulling an AB and walking out on the team during a game.
Trading for Dk makes less sense all the time
From what I understand. Rudolph and Pickens had pretty good chemistry. I’m not sure I believe in paying WRs. Every year there seems to be adequate ones in the draft. Give me a sum of the parts is greater than whole squad of WR. Draft one every year.
It’s pretty simple…if they can get a pick that is 15-20 or so spots better than the comp pick will be then they need to trade him.
If not, keep him and take the comp pick.
Only move him now if you get a young WR whose future costs will be lower while still being a solid WR2 and a pick…which seem unlikely.
Exactly. You have the potential for an incredible tandem. (And the potential for internal combustion). Might as well see if Tomlin, or Cam, or Minkah or whoever can finally get through to him.