UPDATE: 8:58 AM: The trade is now official, as the Cowboys’ official Twitter account confirmed the trade. Pickens is going to the Cowboys with a 2027 sixth-round pick for a 2026 third-round pick and 2027 fifth-round pick.
Original story below.
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The Pittsburgh Steelers are finalizing a trade to send WR George Pickens to the Dallas Cowboys, according to multiple reports this morning. Per NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport, the deal in place is Pickens for a third-round selection and a late-round pick swap, likely in the 2026 NFL Draft.
Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette was the first Steelers reporter to share the news.
While a trade in itself isn’t shocking, the timing of it is. Trade rumors swirled around Pickens leading up to the draft with ESPN’s Adam Schefter including him on a short list of potential moving pieces while Pickens unfollowed the team account on Instagram.
Despite reports of the Steelers taking calls, Pickens wasn’t moved during the draft and apparently wanted to remain a Steeler. That he’s being dealt after the fact leads to logical questions of how Pittsburgh will replace his starting and key role in the lineup, eliciting fears of the Steelers finding themselves in a similar situation as 2024. One star receiver, now DK Metcalf, without complementary help.
Though possessing high-end talent and highlight-reel ability, Pickens’ volatility on and off the field compelled Pittsburgh to cut ties with him. It’s a familiar outcome for the franchise. Antonio Brown, Martavis Bryant, Chase Claypool, and Diontae Johnson were all talented malcontents eventually shipped out by the franchise. Pickens is the latest to join the list, dealt in the final year of his rookie contract.
Selected by the Steelers in the second round of the 2022 NFL Draft, Pickens immediately wowed with his rare ability to make contested catches outside his frame. With elite tracking ability and body control, Pickens caught 52 passes for 801 yards and four touchdowns as a rookie. Highlights included a sensational early-season sideline snag against the Cleveland Browns and the game-winning score to beat the Las Vegas Raiders on Christmas Eve, the night Franco Harris had his No. 32 jersey retired days after his death.
Improving his route running and becoming an even bigger focal point of the offense in 2023, Pickens notched his first 1,000-yard season. He caught 63 passes for 1,140 yards and five touchdowns, becoming the first Steelers receiver since Mike Wallace in 2009 to lead the NFL in yards per reception.
A hamstring injury hampered his 2024 production, Pickens finishing with 59 receptions, 900 yards, and a career-low three touchdowns.
For his three-year Steelers career, Pickens caught 174 passes for 2,841 yards and 12 touchdowns. He also rushed for one score.
The Georgia product’s talent was never in question. Pickens’ problems were everything else. Repeatedly frustrated on the field, he took unnecessary penalties and often let his emotions get the best of him. There were multiple instances of teammates having to console and calm him down along the sideline. Few racked up fines at the rate George Pickens did. In 2023, he reportedly incurred over $200,000 in fines from the league and the team. In 2024, his fines totaled well north of $50,000 and likely far higher if the team’s internal fines were known.
Reportedly, he showed up late to the Steelers’ Christmas Day game against the Kansas City Chiefs, a story Mike Tomlin did not deny when asked about it. Further reporting indicated Pickens’ tardiness was common and well-known among teammates.
Art Rooney II’s tepid comments combined with Pittsburgh trading for WR DK Metcalf signaled Pickens wouldn’t see a contract beyond his rookie deal. The Steelers could’ve opted to hang onto him for 2025 to form an impressive duo with Metcalf, letting him walk and signing elsewhere in 2026 with the hopes of recouping value in the form of a high 2027 compensatory pick.
Instead, the Steelers will receive an immediate draft pick in return for him. Their mission will be replacing George Pickens as a starting receiver, avoiding the same pitfall as a year ago when Pickens was the lone target schemed away by opposing defenses.
