Questions about George Pickens‘ future (at least for 2025) were put to rest earlier this week with the trade sending him to the Cowboys. Production was not an issue during his time in Pittsburgh, but it still came as little surprise when the team elected to move on. 
Pickens was the subject of trade calls before and during the draft, although with no deal being worked out it appeared the Steelers would retain him for 2025. Doing so likely would have set them up for the 24-year-old to depart in free agency next spring, and instead of waiting on a 2027 compensatory pick Pittsburgh took a trade package including a third-round selection in next year’s draft. On Friday, general manager Omar Khan confirmed Pickens did not ask to be moved while shedding light on the timing of the agreement.
“The trade sort of happened quickly. We had some people inquire during the draft. Nothing that really made sense. The Cowboys reached out earlier this week,” Khan said (via The Athletic’s Jon Machota). “They proposed something for us to think about. We had conversations internally.
“We also had some conversations with George’s agent… We discussed where things have been with George, where they are and where things could go with George. And this trade made sense for everyone… We just felt that a fresh start for both sides was the right thing.”
Issues related to attendance for practices and games in Pickens’ case “sucked some of the life out of the locker room” for Pittsburgh, NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero noted during a Rich Eisen Show appearance (video link). Head coach Mike Tomlin‘s public admission the Georgia product needed to “grow up” was certainly an indication the Steelers were not on board with extending him. With trade acquisition D.K. Metcalf attached to a monster deal, retaining Pickens on a long-term pact would have proven to be challenging.
Pelissero adds Pickens – who clashed with Pittsburgh’s quarterbacks at times – strongly preferred Russell Wilson remain in place as starter over Justin Fields. Neither passer is in the fold anymore, of course, with Aaron Rodgers looming as the Steelers’ presumed starter (in the event he signs with the team). The four-time MVP (who has already worked out with Metcalf this spring) was not made aware of the Pickens trade in advance, Pelissero adds to no surprise.
During an appearance on the Pat McAfee Show, ESPN’s Peter Schrager painted a different picture of Pickens’ locker room presence (video link). The former second-rounder was not disliked by the team, per Schrager, an indication finances were the driving factor in the deal. Pittsburgh has a long history of making only one lucrative commitment at the WR spot at any given time, and that will remain the case in 2025.
Pickens, meanwhile, intends to play out the coming season as a pending free agent. His market value will depend in large part on his performance on the field but also his actions off of it as Dallas contemplates retaining him while also carrying CeeDee Lamb‘s pact for years to come.
Not to get into the other things (I’m sure the community will handle that well), but I wanted to get into the strong preference for Wilson over Fields. I’m speculating, but to me that sounds one of two things (or possibly both of them): 1-Wilson’s deep ball and his willingness to throw it (coupled also with his penchant of audibling to such plays), and 2-Fields’ more managerial, safer style following the play calls to Wilson’s risk taking audibles at critical moments.
Again, I’m speculating, but I’d imagine that Pickens wants more big play opportunities. Whether Dallas will give those opportunities remains to be seen, but if this is true, it also says something about the relative styles of Wilson versus Fields. In any case, I imagine that the offensive inconsistency in Pittsburgh(over the last couple of years, at that) probably didn’t help Pickens’ mindset, but it’s quite a mark on your record to be so promising and yet traded before the conclusion of your rookie deal. I’ll be interested to see if Pickens gets more downfield opportunities in Dallas, and if not, what his reaction would be.
No it was done to save 2 rounds on a draft pick. There was no other reason. And what’s to address? The The guy was a huge pain in the a** so we got rid of him. Case closed. Addressed.
I was talking about Pickens’ perspective, not Khan’s reasons for a trade. What you said was already pretty obvious from the article and plain common sense. I’m not disputing that.
My first sentence was about your Wilson-Fields statement. I should have been more explicit. My bad.
Well, I get that from Pittsburgh’s perspective. I actually thought you were on to something when you suggested that in a few other threads, regarding the Fields trade-maybe if he lit up the scoreboard, the Steelers wouldn’t have cared, but all things being equal, might as well save on that draft compensation. So I don’t think that you’re so off to suggest it, really. No worries, unclemike, I still love reading your posts, my friend.
Still, as far as Pickens goes, it’s interesting to see that he really wanted Wilson over Fields. I have to think that the deep ball opportunities (whether well thought out on Wilson’s part or not-likely the latter) played into it.
Uncle what do you mean by saving 2 rounds?
He’s saying that Pittsburgh avoided higher draft compensation to Chicago by not playing Fields a higher number of snaps. It was part of the conditions negotiated with the Fields trade with the Bears.
For the record, that is not at all why they played Wilson over Fields.
I have made plain before, during and after that I think Fields over Wilson was the right decision and would be happy to slag them for making the wrong decision for such a dumb reason, but the draft pick was not why.
They made the wrong decision for a different dumb reason.
The vets (Heyward, Watt, Minkah, etc.) pushed all last offseason for Wilson and the Steelers signed him with the promise of starting. So, Tomlin’s preference for vets, promise to Wilson and pressure from the vets is why they went to Wilson even with Fields 4-2 and why they stuck with Wilson to the end.
I get that Bears fans might only care about the pick and see it entirely through that prism, but just for history’s sake…that’s not why.