Did the Steelers believe a George Pickens trade was dead when they passed on wide receivers in the draft?
If the Steelers knew during the draft they would likely trade George Pickens, they would’ve drafted a wide receiver—right? At least that’s what many are assuming, and it’s a logical question to ask. The Steelers were reportedly making and taking phone calls about Pickens during the draft. Had they had a deal in place, who’s to say they wouldn’t have drafted one?
After all, they were actually scouting first- and second-round talents at the position. If the Steelers got a second-round pick to trade George Pickens during the draft, would a top pick have gone back into the wide receiver position? Or would they have stuck to their board and roughly done the same as they did?
What sometimes seems to go missing in all this George Pickens trade chatter is the Steelers have DK Metcalf. One can very easily make the argument that Metcalf is the better player. That doesn’t eliminate a need at wide receiver entirely, but they have other options. And they did bring in Robert Woods after the draft, whom they likely spoke to beforehand.
We can at least confidently assume that the Steelers had George Pickens on the trade block during the draft and were more than willing to trade him. Even knowing that, they never even seemed to come close to drafting a wide receiver. So what does that tell us, if anything, and especially about their view of their current group?
With Pickens gone via trade, the Steelers still have a top wide receiver in Metcalf. They also have Calvin Austin III, Roman Wilson, and Woods, plus Ben Skowronek and Scotty Miller. Miller was good enough to be on Tom Brady’s Super Bowl-winning Buccaneers team, so it can’t be so bad. If he is their sixth receiver, are they so poorly off?
The Steelers passed on a season of both George Pickens and DK Metcalf at wide receiver in exchange for a third-round pick and a one-round late pick flip in 2027. Nobody forced them to trade Pickens, so I think that alone speaks to the core issue. They didn’t create this hole without a comfort in what they already have, or what their options are. That’s why they traded for Metcalf in the first place.
The Steelers are rebuilding, or reloading, whatever they feel the need to call it, after another disappointment last season. Though they limped into the playoffs, they once again embarrassed themselves therein.
Just like last year, the biggest question hanging over the Steelers is the quarterback question. While they ultimately traded George Pickens, they have other decisions to make. The 2025 NFL Draft class is now behind us, so most of the roster construction is complete.
But we still have a long offseason ahead for Steelers football, or football in shorts. Certain will-he-or-won’t-he situations remain in play, which we continue to monitor. Now it’s about evaluating the roster in place and filling holes as we go.
