Shortly after the surprise trade to land star receiver DK Metcalf, much of the Pittsburgh Steelers’ focus ahead of the 2025 season shifted to wide receiver George Pickens and what his future is in the Steel City.
Pickens, a second-round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, is entering the final year of his rookie contract, and it seems like the Steelers won’t be entertaining doing a new deal with him, at least right now.
That’s led to plenty of speculation regarding a potential trade of Pickens to recoup a draft pick or two, and move off a potential headache situation. For Cleveland Browns announcer Andrew Siciliano, he stated during his own TikTok Live Sunday that he would trade Pickens if he were the Steelers.
“I think he and DK Metcalf are very similar-style players. They’re both physical, outside the numbers, slant, bully-ball wide receivers. I think they need some variety there,” Sicilliano said of what the Steelers should do with Pickens, according to video via his TikTok Live. “Although, look, Calvin Austin [III], especially late in the season, really stepped up his game last year. Got to see him in person a couple of times, was truly impressed by him.
“But I would trade George Pickens. I don’t know what you can get for him. I just think, and I’ve said this on the air, I’m not trashing the guy here. I just think his immaturity is holding him back and we’ve seen that up close and I would trade him. There’s a reason he fell into the second round. No one ever questioned his talent, let’s just put it that way.”
With the Metcalf acquisition there is some concern that he and Pickens are redundant in the fact that they are two big, physical receivers who are vertical threats and win downfield in contested-catch situations. Together, they form a menacing pair, one that could play bully ball against opposing cornerbacks week after week.
On paper, it makes sense having those two weapons together and giving whomever the quarterback will be a real shot at having success, being able to throw it up to Metcalf and Pickens throughout the season.
But the concern with Pickens is that in a contract year and with the Steelers seemingly uninterested in talking a new deal with him, he could let his emotions get the best of him and spiral out of control, much like he has at times in his career on the field, which has hurt the Steelers at times.
It sounds obvious, but it’s true: Pickens’ future in Pittsburgh is largely up to him, especially in the 2025 season. If he’s bought in and can lock in and work hard, he’ll be around. If he’s going to be a problem, the Steelers can — and should — move on from him.
It’ll be very interesting to watch this all play out. Theoretically having Metcalf on the other side of him will open things up for Pickens and could lead to a huge year. Hopefully he understands that and keeps his head down and works hard, going about his business the right way.
