When George Pickens was dealt to the Cowboys last month, reporters cited a number of reasons for the move. Primarily, the trade was attributed to finances, as the Steelers neither had the budget nor the willingness to extend the receiver (especially following the acquisition of high-priced WR D.K. Metcalf). We also heard stories of Pickens’ lack of maturity, a common theme throughout the wideout’s career.
While the Steelers were still a month away from settling their QB situation, the team’s expected acquisition of Aaron Rodgers may have had an influence on the front office’s thinking. As ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler writes, the Steelers were wary that Pickens and the veteran QB “probably would not hit it off.”
While Rodgers has traditionally iced out younger receivers, he still clearly values high-impact targets. It’s also not completely unfounded that the future Hall of Famer may not mesh with a top WR. Even before Rodgers’ ouster in New York, there were rumblings of tension with Garrett Wilson, and the relationship didn’t get any better when Davante Adams started stealing targets.
While Pickens’ surely could have embraced some QB consistency, the Steelers clearly didn’t want to take any chances, especially since the WR clashed with past QBs. In fact, Pickens had made it known that he strongly preferred Russell Wilson remain in place as a starter, an option that clearly wasn’t prioritized by Pittsburgh’s decision makers. With Metcalf on the books and Robert Woods also joining the depth chart, the Steelers felt comfortable enough moving on from the former second-round pick.
Pickens’ anticipated/hypothetical issues with Rodgers is yet another public anecdote that puts a spotlight on the player’s maturity (or lack thereof). Even if the Steelers weren’t going after the veteran QB, it seemed like Pickens’ stint in Pittsburgh was likely coming to an end. We heard that multiple Steelers players became “fed up” with the WR over his three years in Pittsburgh, with several of these players believing it’d be “counterproductive” to keep him around.
Of course, there was also the financial aspect, as Pickens is entering the final season of his rookie contract. Metcalf is on a lucrative deal that could last through the 2029 season, and that Steelers/Seahawks trade all but ended Pickens’ chances of earning a Steelers extension. While Pittsburgh could have kept the WR around during a prove-it season, the team ultimately decided to bail early.
Most likely, it was a combination of all these factors that resulted in Pickens’ departure. Still, it’s interesting that the Steelers front office was considering the WR’s fit with Rodgers…even before the QB inked his deal.
“Still, it’s interesting that the Steelers front office was considering the WR’s fit with Rodgers…even before the QB inked his deal.”
What’s so interesting about that? It’s called due diligence.
As far as I know Rodgers has had a reputation for not getting along with WRs as far back as Greg Jennings if not earlier. So catering to the crybaby is a must for the Steelers. Doesn’t excuse Pickens’ immaturity but Rodgers’ immaturity needs to be mentioned as well.
You’re convincing me they deserved each other.
Rodgers and Jennings had issues after Jennings left GB. You’re conveniently leaving how all the WR’s that get along with Rodgers to this day. Jordy Nelson, Cobb, Adams, James Jones, Lazard etc. I can certainly understand people not caring for Rodgers, but you can just make up things that aren’t factual to add to those reasons.
Yeah, his thing is more that he doesn’t trust young receivers and he wants receivers to be exactly where he wants them to be. Attention to detail is definitely not Pickens’ thing.
Which can be frustrating for fans, but understandable to run an effective offense.
Well it can be frustrating from an offense perspective, too, since it often speaks to Rodgers wanting things catered to his style of winging it and not to an actual scheme.
Good point.
Jennings never really had an issue with Rodgers. He only mentioned in the media that he preferred Favre over Rodgers, and the media went to town on it creating friction between the 2
Rodgers will be there for one year.
No guarantee Pickens would have lasted beyond this coming season, either. And he’s volatile enough where you don’t know what his value would be next year, anyway. Irrespective of Rodgers, I thought they made a good move trading Pickens.
It was clear Pickens was done. Just another Steeler insane asylum receiver. My money is on him being out the league in three years.
As a Cowboys fan…we are loving us some Pickens!!!
Appreciate Pitts front office for bowing down to the ARod Mystic and Letting Pickens find his way to Dallas…
Not even signed yet and he’s destroying franchises…
I love it!!!!!
Just what you want in a WR, the ability to destroy your franchise…
He was talking about Rodgers
Well, color me clueless, because I thought there was some long expected signing that happened recently…
All the while your very owner has been destroying yours for years
Catering to a 40 year old QB who is weirdo and will probably only be there for a season.
The Steelers are becoming the Browns.
These character assassinations are comical but for the most part they are just irrelevant nonsense. Are we actually suppose to believe Joe Montana would have ignored Jerry Rice if they did not “hit it off”. Would Patrick Mahomes ignore Travis Kelce if they did not see eye to eye? A QB may not like a teammate but he is usually smart enough to know who gives the team the best chance to succeed… and he will target that receiver as often as he can.
The difference being Rice & Kelce being generational talent who didn’t act like degenerate jagoffs on the field & sidelines
… AND …
Rodgers has historically placed blame/fault on WRs so Pickens historical behavior would mean inevitable confrontation on the field, sidelines, locker room, and media.
There’s always a draft pick of Pickens’ caliber available and Pittsburgh has been adept at finding them … not so much with QBs
How long would a QB remain a starter if he went to the HC and said “Player X was open all game long and I didn’t throw the ball to him because I consider him a degenerate jagoff”?
How many glares from Rodgers is DK Metcalf going to take before deciding he has back issues and will come back next year?
Are people unaware or have they just conveniently forgotten…
Pickens was basically unplayable down the stretch.
He was showing up late, leaving early, wandering off, standing around when he should be playing, etc. They had to lie once or twice about him being injured to try to not have it be (more of) a distraction.
This has nothing to do with Rodgers.
They had this grenade laying around without a pin and they tossed it to Dallas.
This is correct. Regardless if they signed Rodgers or any other QB, they have been trying to trade Pickens for a while, and certainly before they choose Rodgers. Pickens has had big issues in HS, colllege, and in the pros. It is why he went in the late 2nd round. It wasn’t his talent that was in question. This was happening, regardless, of who their QB was going to be this season.
someone needed to have 500 words into the editor before midnight.. {eye roll}
Such an f’n diva!! You’d think this guy has like 19 super bowls to his name. Bad look Pitt, bad look.
Breaking news: Rodgers doesn’t get along with people – thus he might not have gotten along with Pickens.
And today’s Captain Obvious award goes to…
Tomlin doesn’t want the best players, he wants players who won’t rock the boat. Rodgers probably promised to be a team player, wait until things start getting rough.
Nice post! By 66 the number of the best, greatjob.
Wait till they see what a head case DK is..?
DK is not a head case, nor is he a prima donna. He is a fiery competitor who sometimes lets his emotions get the better of him…kinda like Aaron Rodgers actually. But unlike Rodgers, he is no crybaby. DK is as tough a WR as there is.
Unlike Pickens, he shows up for practice and practices hard. He spends as much time in the weight room and on the track as he does on the practice field. He plays through injury and rarely misses games. He also can run more than 3 routes, so there really is no comparison to Pickens.
Outside of Bradshaw and Roethlisberger, the Steelers have had zero stability at the QB position. That’s not about to change with a douche bag like Rodgers. Other than Pickett, I can’t remember the last time this team spent a high draft pick on a QB. Not sure why they passed on Dart but here we are.
I think Pickens would have been traded regardless of who may or may not have been under center. Of the last two decades the only really wrong WR move that stands out in my mind is letting Emmanuel Sanders walk. That nice comes with the caveat that they aren’t gonna extend both AB and Sanders, and although AB flipped his lid later on, I think they extended the correct WR. On that same note, they bailed on AB while he still had some trade value. The Steelers seem to almost always make the correct WR moves.
That move… (not nice). Not sure what autocorrect was doing there