The Dallas Cowboys are far from the first team to trade for a troubled Pittsburgh Steelers receiver in the hopes they can fix him. Few have succeeded. In the mind of former NFL offensive lineman and current analyst Ross Tucker, it makes the George Pickens trade a risky one for the Cowboys. And makes the third-round pick Pittsburgh received in the deal a solid return.
“The whole thing where people say the Steelers got fleeced always makes me laugh,” Tucker said Wednesday on the Kaboly + Mack podcast. “Okay, yeah, the Steelers got fleeced. So when you say that, you’re saying that the Cowboys got such a good deal and the Steelers are idiots.
“Let’s think about this logically. Do you think the Steelers only talked to the Cowboys about this? Do you think that Omar Khan was like, ‘You know what, I don’t wanna take a chance and I’m trading him. I’m only gonna talk to Jerry Jones, the Cowboys.’ No, they talked to every team about this. This was the best offer they could get.”
Reporting following the trade indicated many teams didn’t want to touch the baggage Pickens is carrying. The talented but difficult receiver has a reputation for penalties, mid-game outbursts, and habitually showing up late for meetings and games.
Pickens is enjoying a honeymoon phase with the Cowboys, head coach Brain Schottenheimer praising his work ethic yesterday. But inevitably, something will happen during the season that will catch media headlines and make it obvious why Pittsburgh traded him.
“I played for the Cowboys. I know that culture, I can almost guarantee a lot of stuff will go wrong,” Tucker told hosts Chris Mack and Mark Kaboly.
Pickens is playing under one of sport’s largest media spotlight. He’ll have to co-exist in a passing game with CeeDee Lamb, who figures to again lead the team in targets and receptions. Dallas will hope to avoid the pitfalls teams that traded for Steelers receivers before them. The Las Vegas Raiders for Martavis Bryant and Antonio Brown. The Chicago Bears for Chase Claypool. The Carolina Panthers for Diontae Johnson. None got the desired results.
“Once the Steelers are done with you at receiver, that is buyer beware for any other team,” Tucker said.
This deal could swing either way. Pickens will make plays and help a Cowboys offense desperate for a No. 2 receiver. If he can limit being in the headlines for the wrong reasons, Dallas will be happy with the trade. If Pickens becomes too much of a headache, it’ll look like a predictable failed attempt.
For Pittsburgh, if the Steelers can find his replacement internally or externally and replace Pickens’ production, they’ll have won all around. If they struggle to find a No. 2 and fall into the same problems as last year, the team will look foolish for making the trade late in the offseason.
