The Pittsburgh Steelers are taking a calculated risk by trading WR George Pickens. Though Omar Khan dismissed parallels to last year, the Steelers need to find a way to replace his production. But even if all goes wrong on the Steelers’ end, beat writer Ray Fittipaldo doesn’t believe the team will come to regret the deal.
“George Pickens goes out and has four consecutive thousand-yards season for the Dallas Cowboys, it could still be the right decision for the Pittsburgh Steelers to get rid of him,” Fittipaldo told 93.7 The Fan’s Joe Starkey when asked if Pittsburgh could regret the move. “I think that’s where this franchise was. They don’t want him on the team any longer. He didn’t wanna be here any longer. So when you factor in all those things, I think it was the right call.”
The notion Pickens didn’t want to remain a Steeler has been disputed several ways. Speaking to the media Friday, Khan confirmed Pickens didn’t request a trade and in his first meeting with Dallas reporters, Pickens noted he found out about the trade when everyone else did Wednesday morning. Additional reporting indicated Pickens wanted to play out the season with the Steelers, citing a close bond with head coach Mike Tomlin.
Pittsburgh’s reasons for the trade are obvious even if the decision to trade him remains debatable. Pickens struggled to be a professional with on-field outbursts, a habit for showing up late, and costly penalties and fines. Rather than waiting for a potential 2027 compensatory selection, the Steelers guarantee a 2026 third-rounder.
“I think a third round pick was probably about as good as you can do,” Fittipaldo said.
Reportedly, the Cowboys increased their offer from a fourth-round pick during draft weekend, something Khan alluded to in noting the team previously had discussions about Pickens but no offers made sense until Dallas’ final push. It’s similar to Martavis Bryant and Chase Claypool, the Raiders and Bears upping their proposal until striking a deal.
Ultimately, how the Steelers – and the fans – feel about the deal will come down to how the team replaces Pickens. If Pittsburgh makes an outside move to substitute his production, it’ll take the sting out of whatever success he has in Dallas. Or if the Steelers confidence in internal options like Roman Wilson prove true, the team will have a long-term gameplan to fill his shoes. But if the team finds themselves in a similar situation as 2024, the passing game feeling incomplete without a No. 2 receiver opposite a blanketed stud in DK Metcalf, the Steelers will certainly feel the heat, if not regret.
