Omar Khan Addresses Steelers’ Decision To Trade George Pickens
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.
George Pickens Planning To Play Out Cowboys Contract Year
MAY 8: When speaking to reporters for the first time since the trade, Pickens confirmed (via NFL Network’s Jane Slater) his focus is not on his contract situation at this point. Playing out the 2025 campaign as a pending free agent would certainly add a layer of intrigue to his debut Dallas season.
MAY 7: The Cowboys are now the team evaluating George Pickens regarding an extension, having acquired the contract-year wide receiver from the Steelers on Wednesday morning. With CeeDee Lamb already on Dallas’ payroll at $34MM per year, Pickens should not be considered a lock to receive his second contract in Dallas.
Sending the Steelers a trade haul headlined by a third-round pick, the Cowboys should certainly be considered open to a Pickens extension. As of now, however, Pickens may not be overly interested in one. The fourth-year wideout is not believed to be interested in an immediate payday, according to AllDLLS.com’s Clarence Hill. The trade pickup sounds prepared to increase his value in Dallas.
Pickens, 24, could certainly boost his stock by thriving as a Lamb complementary piece with Dak Prescott targeting him. Russell Wilson‘s eventual Hall of Fame case notwithstanding, Prescott is a better option than the former Super Bowl winner’s age-36 season presented Pickens. A player previously tied to Wilson, Justin Fields and Kenny Pickett during his Pittsburgh run, Pickens wanting to show he can put up better numbers with Prescott makes sense. A Cowboys team that has been known to delay high-profile extensions is familiar with such patience, even as prices rise.
Steelers hesitancy regarding a Pickens extension cropped up months before the trade. The Georgia product entered the NFL with maturity concerns, and he has not dispelled those. The Steelers dealt with Pickens’ occasional issues while using him as their No. 1 wide receiver last season. A position group that housed Pickens and the mercurial Diontae Johnson together for two years proved challenging for the Steelers, who have remade their receiver room around D.K. Metcalf‘s $33MM-per-year contract. Going all the way back to the Hines Ward days, the Steelers have refrained from giving two receivers notable extensions. Ward, Antonio Brown and, briefly, Johnson held slots as extended Steelers wideouts. Metcalf now steps into that role, one Lamb holds in Dallas.
The Cowboys had the opportunity to extend Lamb in 2023, his first year of eligibility, and drew criticism for not doing so and letting the market rise. Justin Jefferson‘s deal drove up Lamb’s price, and he eventually agreed on a four-year, $136MM contract. Though, Lamb also did not sound overly eager to land an extension before his fourth season. The 2020 first-rounder reshaped his market by posting a first-team All-Pro season in 2023. Pickens may not have that ceiling in Dallas, assuming Lamb stays healthy, but his work with Pickett, Fields and Wilson point to upside — especially as the proven deep threat enters only his age-24 season.
The receiver market has seen two boom periods since Pickens’ debut, as the 2022 and ’24 offseasons brought fireworks. Ja’Marr Chase has since taken the market past $40MM per year. This ceiling lift probably will not closely impact Pickens, but Tee Higgins having secured $28.75MM per year could. With a $40MM-plus-AAV Micah Parsons accord — to top Chase as the NFL’s highest-paid non-QB — likely coming before Week 1, the Cowboys may have a difficult time paying Pickens, especially if the former No. 52 overall pick is committed to betting on himself.
With Higgins off the board as a potential 2026 free agent, Pickens could become the WR market’s prize next year. As it stands, Terry McLaurin and Deebo Samuel are out of contract in 2026. So are Mike Evans and Courtland Sutton. Being much younger than this group, however, will stand to vault Pickens to the top of the line. With no Cowboys WR2 extension imminent, Pickens appears to be aiming to land a No. 1-level deal after a season in Dallas.
Steelers Trade George Pickens To Cowboys
Coming up as a team interested in George Pickens ahead of the draft, the Cowboys are indeed moving forward with a trade to land him. The Steelers will cut bait on Pickens a year early; they are sending him to Dallas, ESPN’s Adam Schefter and Todd Archer report.
The Cowboys will obtain the contract-year wide receiver in exchange for a third-round pick. Here are the terms of the now-official trade:
Cowboys receive:
- Pickens
- 2027 sixth-round pick
Steelers receive:
- 2026 third-round pick
- 2027 fifth-round pick
Shortly before the draft, Jerry Jones had said his team was working on multiple trades. Closely linked to Tetairoa McMillan, Dallas left the draft without acquiring a CeeDee Lamb complementary target. This led to the owner confirming his team was still hunting for help at the position. The team has secured it. Pickens will relocate ahead of his contract year, becoming the latest WR talent the Steelers will pass on extending.
[RELATED: Pickens Planning To Play Out Contract Year]
The teams had discussed Pickens since before the draft, The Athletic’s Dianna Russini reports, and Dallas is believed to have upped its offer to move the trade across the goal line. Previously, Dallas had offered only a fourth-rounder, per Russini; a third proved enough to headline a successful offer. 105.3 The Fan’s Bobby Belt was the first to report the Cowboys had zeroed in on Pickens. Unlike Diontae Johnson last year, Pickens did not request to be moved, The Pat McAfee Show‘s Mark Kaboly adds.
The Cowboys have searched for a high-end Lamb complementary piece for years, and they will now trade for one. The Cowboys continue to turn to the trade market to land receiving talent. This move comes after swaps involving Brandin Cooks and Amari Cooper; the latter’s departure helped create a years-long need in Dallas. Although Jones has swung and missed on big-ticket trades for receivers in the distant past — for Joey Galloway and Roy Williams — the Cooper move panned out. A belated replacement will arrive in the form of Pickens, whose impending relocation may well nix a rumored Cooper reunion.
Dallas dealt Cooper to Cleveland in March 2022, only obtaining fifth- and sixth-round picks for him. Cooper then delivered two 1,000-yard receiving seasons for the Browns while nothing comparable occurred alongside Lamb with his previous team. The Cowboys became closely connected, mostly via Jones, to Odell Beckham Jr. that year. No signing took place, and the Cowboys played out the string without much help for Lamb.
Michael Gallup‘s December 2021 ACL tear sidetracked the former 1,000-yard playmaker’s career, and while Cooks still delivered reasonable production in 2023 following a trade, he missed a chunk of last season due to injury. Cooks returned to New Orleans as a free agent, leaving little alongside Lamb. Pickens joining holdover Jalen Tolbert in a contract year changes that equation ahead of Brian Schottenheimer‘s HC debut.
Having followed through with a rumored Pickens trade, the Steelers are now the team with a wide receiver need. This comes, of course, as the team is wooing Aaron Rodgers for what would likely be a one-and-done stay. Rodgers has not publicly committed to Pittsburgh, but he did throw passes to Metcalf and remains in communication with Mike Tomlin. The Steelers have remained confident the future Hall of Famer will ultimately sign, but his potential receiving corps is now suddenly much thinner.
That said, the Steelers have bolstered their 2026 draft arsenal. With Rodgers (or Kirk Cousins, potentially) only being a short-term fix, Pittsburgh will need better ammo in the event 2026 becomes the next draft featuring a bona fide QB1 investment. The AFC North team had been aiming to make an early-round move in either this draft or the next for a passer. After the team passed on doing so this year, by only adding Will Howard in Round 6, 2026 now looks like the draft the team will seek to acquire its belated Kenny Pickett replacement.
The Steelers still trail the Browns and Rams in terms of 2026 capital, with those teams acquiring future first-rounders in this year’s draft. Pittsburgh, however, is now projected to hold three third-round picks, two fourths and two fifths (via this trade and the compensatory process) in ’26. More work may still remain for GM Omar Khan, whose team’s ultra-high floor annually prevents a draft slot in the upper half of a first round, but this represents a start. Though, a Steelers team that struggled to find a Pickens supporting-caster last year returns to familiar territory.
Metcalf arrived a day before free agency but months after the Steelers failed to acquire Brandon Aiyuk from the 49ers. The teams had trade terms and an extension worked out. Even though the extension was worth less than what the Browns and Patriots proposed, Aiyuk had the Steelers as his safety team in case a 49ers deal did not work out. Aiyuk ended his trade derby by signing a San Francisco extension, and Pittsburgh attempted to address its receiver need with a Mike Williams trade at last year’s deadline. That move did not produce much of consequence, and Williams has since returned to the Chargers. After years of Tyler Lockett working as a quality supporting-caster, Metcalf now comes to Pennsylvania without a notable WR2 presence.
Known for making receiver investments on Day 2 in the draft, the Steelers passed on doing so this year. They left the draft with their 2022 second-round find still rostered, but incessant trade rumors clouded Pickens’ future. He will now follow the likes of Johnson, Santonio Holmes, Martavis Bryant and Chase Claypool as a wideout dealt ahead of a contract year.
The modern-era Steelers have made a habit of having just one wideout tied to a notable second contract at a time. As Hines Ward, Antonio Brown, Johnson and now Metcalf (four years, $131.99MM) cashed in, moving parts abounded. Pickens had become a player to monitor as a one-contract Steeler for months, and a post-draft report pointed to no Pittsburgh extension coming, and another Pittsburgh WR search will be a storyline to follow in the coming months.
Pickens, 24, has flashed brightly during his first three seasons. He became the latest Steelers receiver find from Day 2, leading the NFL with 18.1 yards per catch (1,140 in total) in 2023 despite inconsistent quarterback play. Pickens posted 900 yards last season, doing so despite missing three games and having a low-ceiling Russell Wilson–Justin Fields tandem targeting him. Pickens is the NFL’s only player to generate three straight seasons north of 16 yards per reception and accumulated over 2,000 since 2022, according to ESPN Stats and Info.
As Dak Prescott recovers from a significant hamstring injury and enters his age-32 season, he will become the top QB tied to Pickens, who has produced some of the NFL’s most acrobatic catches during his short time in the NFL. While the latter’s contract year will unfold in Texas on a team that has already paid Lamb, Prescott targeting him should prove a welcome sight for a player who will be eager to cash in — as a Cowboy or a 2026 free agent.
Maturity concerns have mounted with Pickens, undoubtedly factoring into both Steelers WR trades this offseason, but the Cowboys will take a chance on a talented player entering his mid-20s. The Cowboys will have the Georgia alum tied to a $3.66MM 2025 base salary. They will hold exclusive negotiating rights with Pickens until March 2026. Although the Cowboys have dragged their feet on extension talks in recent years, they will have a higher-profile player to evaluate regarding a long-term fit once again.
While two lofty WR payments may be too steep for a Cowboys team that will likely enter Week 1 with monster deals for Prescott, Lamb and Micah Parsons on its cap sheet, the team has upgraded its 2025 receiver cadre in exchange for third- and fifth-round picks. It will be interesting to see how the Steelers regroup.
George Pickens Unlikely To Be With Steelers In 2026
MAY 5: During a Sunday SportsCenter appearance, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reported (via Bleacher Report) Pickens’ desire is to remain in Pittsburgh, adding negotiations on the trade front have “really cooled.” Pickens should be expected to at least start the 2025 campaign as a Steeler, but his future beyond that period will no doubt remain a talking point.
MAY 4: 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.
Steelers Making Calls On George Pickens; Packers Among Intersted Teams?
APRIL 25: As the team did not draft a quarterback at No. 21 overall, it enters Day 2 with a glaring need and no second-round pick. As the Steelers attempt to navigate this issue, The Athletic’s Dianna Russini confirms the team is open to trading Pickens. Calls continue to come in for the talented wideout, whose contract-year salary is just $3.66MM.
APRIL 23: The Steelers have an established history of centering their wide receiver groups around one notable payment, while making other pass catchers one-contract players. Hines Ward and Antonio Brown served as cornerstones, and the team surrounded Diontae Johnson‘s extension with rookie-contract cogs.
D.K. Metcalf now serves as the Steelers’ receiving anchor, having secured a big-ticket extension upon arrival via trade. This leaves George Pickens with an uncertain Pittsburgh future. It would appear the talented wideout will be auditioning for his next contract in 2025, but the Steelers might be OK moving on before that point. They are making calls and taking them on Pickens, Fox Sports’ Jordan Schultz reports.
Our Adam La Rose profiled Pickens as a trade candidate before the Metcalf acquisition, Pickens has produced in stretches. Not unlike Johnson, maturity issues have impacted his three-year run in Pennsylvania. Teams still stand to be interested in the team’s former No. 1 receiver, and Schultz adds the Packers are one of them. Calling the Steelers “more serious” than people know about moving Pickens now, an AFC GM informed Schultz Green Bay is among the teams involved in this developing trade sweepstakes.
Green Bay has four notable rookie-contract receivers on its payroll, but Romeo Doubs is now in a contract year. So is Christian Watson, whose walk year will not begin until maybe midseason due to the ACL tear he sustained in Week 18. Two years remain on Jayden Reed and Dontayvion Wicks‘ rookie deals, but calls for the team to acquire a higher-ceiling receiver have come out; Josh Jacobs has been one of those who mentioned this. Famously not choosing a first-round receiver since Javon Walker in 2002, the Packers have resisted such moves. They have found tremendous second-round value, via Jordy Nelson, Randall Cobb and Davante Adams. Reed is carrying that baton now.
Also a former second-round pick, Pickens came into the NFL with maturity concerns. But he has also displayed a penchant for acrobatic catches. Despite working with Kenny Pickett and Mason Rudolph in 2023, Pickens led the NFL with 18.1 yards per reception. He followed that 1,140-yard season 900 last year, though he missed three games due to injury. The Georgia product has otherwise shown perfect attendance during his NFL career.
The Steelers have gotten ahead of contract-year WR matters by trading the likes of Johnson, Chase Claypool, Santonio Holmes, Martavis Bryant. Conversely, they let Mike Wallace and Emmanuel Sanders walk in free agency. Pickens, 24, could be valuable on a fourth rookie-deal season for Pittsburgh — especially if Aaron Rodgers or a first-round QB enters the picture — but he also could fetch a premium draft pick, being 3-for-3 in 800-yard seasons.
The Steelers have regularly addressed their receiving corps on Day 2 of a draft, doing so most recently with Roman Wilson last year. The team did not see much from Wilson during an injury-plagued rookie year, and it surrendered a second-round pick in the Metcalf deal. These factors offer potential complications in a Pickens swap, but it is fairly clear the team is gauging the market — likely as a way to see if a Day 2 pick can be recouped — ahead of the draft.
Steelers Want To Improve At WR, Have Not Begun George Pickens Extension Talks
Steelers owner Art Rooney II admitted that the team will be looking to improve their receiver room this offseason after struggling to find consistency at the position in 2024 outside of George Pickens.
“I think we have positions in the wide receiver room we’re going to have to address,” said Rooney (via Mark Kaboly of the Pat McAfee Show).
Bringing in a high-profile wideout to take targets away from Pickens could cause tension with the mercurial 23-year-old, something Rooney addressed in his press conference.
“I think every team seems to have one or two guys in that room that you have to manage them correctly,” said Rooney. “I still think George has enough talent that we’ve got to try to work and see if we can get him to fulfill the talent that he really has.”
Indeed, despite repeated incidents at Georgia and in Pittsburgh, Pickens has been the Steelers’ best receiver since he was drafted. Head coach Mike Tomlin is no stranger to getting the most out of intense personalities (Antonio Brown, Le’Veon Bell), which Rooney referenced as well.
“But when you have guys that are as talented as some of the guys you’re probably thinking of, you try to work with them and have them help you be successful,” he said, adding that the team has yet to work on an extension for Pickens.
Pickens is under contract for 2025, as is Calvin Austin, the team’s second-leading receiver, but Van Jefferson and Mike Williams are both set to hit free agency. Rooney’s comments indicate that he is planning to go in another direction, though he’s more focused on the Steelers’ future at quarterback.
“That’s priority No. 1,” said Rooney. “The quarterback position is a key piece of the puzzle that needs to be addressed.”
But the Steelers’ offseason resources – the 21st overall pick and more than $40MM in cap space, per OverTheCap – are better attuned to bolster their receiving corps. It’s unlikely one of the draft’s top quarterbacks falls to Pittsburgh, and none of the available veterans profile as high-upside options. The 2025 receiver class is far deeper in both the draft and free agency, forcing the Steelers into a tough offseason dilemma. They can improve their weapons on offense, but that may not be enough to break their playoff win drought without a better long-term quarterback.
Trade Candidate: George Pickens
Having played out the first three seasons of his rookie contract, George Pickens is eligible for an extension. In spite of that fact – and his status as a potential 2026 free agent – his Steelers future remains a notable point of discussion and uncertainty.
Entering the draft, Pickens was regarded as one of the most talented prospects at the receiver position. Character concerns played a role in his drop to the second round, but expectations remained relatively high for his rookie campaign. Serving as a No. 2 option to Diontae Johnson, Pickens posted 801 yards on an average of 15.4 per reception in 2022. During the following season he took over as Pittsburgh’s top option in the passing game, leading the league with an 18.1 yards per catch average and recording a 63-1,140-5 statline.
Johnson was traded away last offseason, but that move and the decision to release Allen Robinson left the Steelers short on established wideouts. Efforts to make a major addition by trade (in particular Brandon Aiyuk during the summer and Christian Kirk ahead of the deadline) did not result in a deal being made. Pickens therefore remained the top catalyst on offense for the Steelers, a unit which struggled mightily down the stretch. Part of Pittsburgh’s five-game losing streak (counting the wild-card round) to close out the campaign included Pickens’ missed time due to a hamstring injury, but even upon return he had an inconsistent showing.
While sorting out the quarterback position is an obvious priority for the Steelers this offseason, adding at the WR spot is another. Acquiring a new No. 1 option through free agency, trade or the draft would be challenging for general manager Omar Khan, but doing so could open the door to moving on from Pickens. As Mark Kaboly of the Pat McAfee Show notes, trading away the 23-year-old is an option the team may be prepared to explore if a major pickup were to be made this spring.
Calvin Austin III and Roman Wilson are recent midround receiver draftees, but further investment will be needed moving forward. As Kaboly adds, selecting a wideout in the first round of April’s draft would not come as a surprise; that would of course be particularly true if Pickens were to be dealt. Finding a suitor willing to acquire and extend the Georgia product could be difficult, though.
Pickens is in line for a second contract any time between now and next offseason, and the top of the receiver market sits at $35MM per year. Matching Justin Jefferson’s compensation (or that which Ja’Marr Chase is in line to receive soon) would be a stretch, but Pickens could easily join the list of receivers (which currently sits at 23) making $20MM or more on average per year on an extension. He comfortably led Pittsburgh in receiving in 2024 and will be expected to continue as one of the league’s premier deep threats and contested catch specialists on the Steelers or another team moving forward.
Head coach Mike Tomlin – who will remain in place as Pittsburgh’s head coach for 2025 – has a reputation of maximizing the potential of wideouts carrying off-the-field and attitude concerns. That has been the case so far with Pickens, although earlier this year Tomlin admitted in a post-game press conference his team’s WR1 needs to “grow up.” The sentiment regarding Pickens around the league will (along with financial considerations) be a key factor in determining his potential trade market.
Of course, the Steelers have the option of keeping Pickens in place for at least one more season. A franchise tag could also be used to retain him for the 2026 season if no long-term commitment is made, although by that point it will be clearer if team and player wish to continue their relationship. Should the Steelers open extension talks in the near future, the likelihood of a trade would obviously decrease. In the event negotiations are put on hold or do not progress as planned, however, the possibility of making a deal will no doubt be raised in Pickens’ case.
Steelers WR George Pickens Expected To Return In Week 17
DECEMBER 23: After struggling on offense without their No. 1 wide receiver, the Steelers are expected to have him back in Week 17, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s Gerry Dulac tweets. The Chiefs have managed to avoid several high-end wideouts during their march to 14-1 — Tee Higgins, Brandon Aiyuk, Deebo Samuel, Mike Evans, Chris Godwin and Ladd McConkey, with Tank Dell going down during the Texans’ Week 16 trip to Kansas City — but are on track to face the Steelers’ pass catchers at full strength.
The Steelers have slipped into a tie with the Ravens, at 10-5 apiece, and close the season with a Bengals team that may still be fighting for a wild-card spot. Baltimore will face the Texans and Browns to finish the year. With the Chiefs posing the biggest threat among that contingent, the Steelers having all hands on deck will be important to their hopes of winning the AFC North.
DECEMBER 22: George Pickens has missed the Steelers’ past three games, but he might be back in time for the team’s upcoming Christmas Day contest. Head coach Mike Tomlin noted the third-year receiver has a “real chance” to suit up for Pittsburgh’s game against Kansas City.
A Grade 2 hamstring strain has led to Pickens being sidelined for the first time in his NFL career, and his absence has been apparent on offense. The Steelers have averaged 248 yards per game without Pickens available, a sharp decline from their season average of 325. With the threat of explosive passing plays diminished, Pittsburgh’s rushing attack has understandably suffered as well.
Tomlin named Pickens, along with backup quarterback Justin Fields, defensive lineman Larry Ogunjobi, safety DeShon Elliott and cornerback Donte Jackson as players who missed yesterday’s loss to the Ravens but could return on Wednesday (h/t ESPN’s Brooke Pryor). Getting healthier on defense would certainly be a welcomed development as the Steelers prepare to face the Chiefs and Bengals to close out the regular season. Seeing Pickens return would help provide the opportunity for a turnaround in the passing game, though.
The 23-year-old established himself as a key figure on offense during his rookie season, and his production took a step forward last year. Pickens’ 63-1,140-5 statline demonstrated his impact in the passing game, and his 18.1 yards per reception average led the league. Entering the 2024 season as not just a premier deep target but the undisputed No. 1 receiver for Pittsburgh, the Georgia product has delivered when healthy with a career-high 70.8 yards per game. The Steelers were linked to several notable WR pursuits before and during the campaign, but the team’s only move on that front was the rental addition of Mike Williams at the trade deadline.
By losing yesterday, the Steelers failed to clinch top spot in the AFC North. They still control their destiny in that regard, however, and winning their final two games would guarantee at least one home playoff contest. Getting Pickens back in the lineup in time for a matchup with the 14-1 Chiefs would boost Pittsburgh’s chances of reaching that goal.
AFC North Notes: Steelers, Bengals, Conklin
Despite their wide receiver depth being an issue throughout this season, the Steelers managed a two-score win over the Browns without George Pickens. The standout Pittsburgh pass catcher suffered a hamstring injury doing post-practice work late last week, and the Steelers exercised caution by holding him out. That strategy is expected to continue against the Eagles in Week 14, with Mike Tomlin pointing to another absence for Pickens. The third-year wideout, who had never missed a game as a pro until Sunday, is battling a grade 2 hamstring strain, per the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s Gerry Dulac. Tomlin said this injury has proven to be “a little more significant” than the team initially believed, and this comes at a bad time for the AFC North leaders.
The Steelers face the Ravens in Week 15 and Chiefs in Week 16, those matchups coming on short weeks. While Pittsburgh is two weeks from its Christmas Day matchup with Kansas City, Pickens’ availability for the Baltimore rematch should probably be considered up in the air. The Steelers traded for Mike Williams and have seen flashes, most notably a game-winning TD grab against the Commanders, but the team would be lacking against upper-crust competition if Pickens is sidelined.
Here is the latest from the AFC North:
- Perhaps the NFL’s lead underachievers this season, the Bengals are 5-8. A team expected to return to Super Bowl contention has seen its defense crater. This franchise has proven conservative when it comes to many matters, and coaching is among them. As such, Zac Taylor is unlikely to be viewed as a hot-seat occupant, per ESPN.com’s Dan Graziano. This reaffirms the team’s October stance. Though, this certainly does not mean the Bengals will maintain their status quo throughout the coaching staff. DC Lou Anarumo should probably be viewed as a chopping-block candidate given how poorly the once-well-regarded coordinator’s unit has performed. But Taylor, who took over after 16 Marvin Lewis Cincinnati seasons, is believed to be safe. His contract runs through 2026.
- Putting up MVP-caliber numbers (without the required record for consideration), Joe Burrow made some noise this week by indicating he will play a role in helping to push for the Bengals to re-sign Tee Higgins. The franchise-tagged wide receiver, who has been viewed as likely to leave in 2025, has said he would like to stay but did not offer much confidence he would re-sign. The Bengals cannot reengage on negotiations, which are not believed to have been serious this year, until season’s end. When the team does, new Higgins representation may be at the wheel. Rumblings have surfaced regarding a potential Higgins agency change, Graziano adds. Such a switch would inject an interesting variable into Higgins’ next round of negotiations. The Bengals hold exclusive negotiating rights with their WR2 until March 10.
- Dan Moore Jr. has twice managed to fend off competition to keep the Steelers‘ left tackle job, doing so despite the team using first-round picks on tackles in back-to-back drafts. Troy Fautanu‘s injury did leave the team with fewer options, and Broderick Jones has continued to play right tackle this season. The plan remains for Jones to switch sides in 2025, when Moore is due for free agency. Though, Jones was rumored to be the team’s preferred LT this year. Moore is likely to depart in March, Dulac adds, as they have not shown an indication they are losing faith in Jones. Next year’s Pittsburgh tackle plan will be for their 2023 and ’24 first-rounders — Jones and Fautanu — to start, with veteran Steelers reporter Mark Kaboly leaving little doubt about the 2025 starters.
- Two nonguaranteed years remain on Jack Conklin‘s contract, and the Browns — facing an unprecedented situation with Deshaun Watson — will need cap space. They will almost definitely look to Conklin’s deal, with The Athletic’s Zac Jackson noting the team will either restructure it or move it off the payroll via a post-June 1 cut. Conklin, 30, has returned from a second career ACL tear, coming back after missing 16 games last season and five this year. The quality starter’s injury history will factor into Cleveland’s 2025 decision.
Steelers Rumors: Wilson, Pickens, RBs
We’ve touched a bit recently on the Steelers’ intention to re-sign veteran quarterback Russell Wilson and even touched a bit on the possibilities for his free agent stock, but recent reports have gone even further in reassuring that the intent is for Wilson to continue starting into the 2025 NFL season, per Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.
This is a small specification, as clearly, if they wanted him to stick around, he was probably going to continue to be the starter. But with the younger Justin Fields also having a decent showing during his tenure as the starter earlier this year, there was certainly a chance that Wilson was acting as a placeholder for a developing Fields. After Fields opened the season with a 4-2 start, many were curious why the Steelers wouldn’t stick with the hot hand.
Wilson, though, has gone 5-1 since taking over as the starter, giving Pittsburgh a couple of options for the future. When Fields was starting, he was acting mostly as a game manager for a middling offense, but when Wilson came in, the offense exploded into production. Wilson’s chemistry with offensive coordinator Arthur Smith has been the difference and given Wilson a clear road to a permanent starting job in Pittsburgh.
Here are a few other rumors coming out of the Steel City:
- In a recent Q&A on X, Mark Kaboly of The Athletic gave an answer on the future of leading wide receiver George Pickens. While Pickens’ immaturity can get in his own way at times, Kaboly believes the youth and talent of the 23-year-old are enough to warrant an extension in the near future, predicting a good chance that it happens.
- In a different Q&A, Kaboly also made a prediction on the team’s future at running back. With both Jaylen Warren and Najee Harris in contract years, Kaboly calls it a “no brainer” that Pittsburgh tenders an offer to Warren. He goes on to say that he doesn’t see Harris back with the team next year, unless the free agent market doesn’t provide much competition for him, and he returns for a year on a “prove it” deal. It’s an interesting stance given the difference in production between the two this year, but many analysts have favored Warren in recent years, and the Steelers may be on the same page.