Player: WR George Pickens
Stock Value: Up
Reasoning: As the offseason moves on, the Steelers continue to make clear that they are committed to George Pickens for 2025. Despite the acquisition of DK Metcalf, they hope to have both wide receivers for at least this season. Circumstances can change at any moment, but at least publicly, that is the story they are telling.
Since before the offseason started, pundits have debated the possibility of the Steelers trading WR George Pickens. Some saw him as too valuable unless they worked to replace him, which, in theory, they did. But even after providing the groundwork for a potential trade, they apparently have no plans to take that course.
Pickens was the Steelers’ clear and obvious No. 1 WR last season and was projected similarly for 2025. That was before they traded for WR DK Metcalf, who is at least his equal but more accomplished. The Steelers traded a second-round pick for him, then gave him a five-year, $150 million contract.
Even after securing their No. 1 WR of the future, though, the Steelers want George Pickens for 2025. It seems unlikely that they would re-sign him next year, but at least for this season, they want him here. This season is the last of his rookie contract, after which he will hit the open market.
It’s possible that the Steelers could look at what the Bengals did at wide receiver and try to emulate that. They managed to pay both Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins, but it wasn’t cheap. George Pickens would have to prove worth that investment, though, not just on the field but off of it. Indeed, there are more concerns about committing to him due to his off-field antics than his play.
While the Steelers talk about their plans for George Pickens in 2025, plans can change. If a team offers them a high second-round pick, could they say no? Mind you, such a trade doesn’t even have to be in the near future. A couple years ago, they traded WR Chase Claypool in-season, just before the trade deadline. With the right offer, under the right circumstances, they could move Pickens the same way.
With the new league year underway and the Steelers turning their roster over, it’s once again time to “take stock”. It took a while, but we finally saw some of that change the team talked about after the season ended. Certainly, the move to trade for WR DK Metcalf qualifies as a change, not to mention the accompanying contract.
There is still a long way to go before we know what this Steelers team is going to look like. Once the dust settles on free agency, we turn our attention to the draft, and so on. What other moves might the team make, perhaps unexpected acquisitions or departures? If they traded for one player, they could certainly trade for another, or trade one away. This is a Steelers team starving for postseason success, but how desperate are they for a playoff win in 2025?
