The Pittsburgh Steelers didn’t trade WR George Pickens during the 2025 NFL Draft, signaling their intention to keep him through the 2025 season. While there was a lot of buzz around a potential Pickens trade swirling during the draft, and we know the Dallas Cowboys inquired, Pickens will likely remain in Pittsburgh for 2025. However, that almost wasn’t the case. Jeremy Fowler reported on NFL Live on Friday that Pickens “flirted” with the idea of requesting a trade.
“Trade talks or any sort of buzz around that has cooled,” Fowler said. “There was a little bit of smoke out of the draft, but I was told that Pickens, in the end, wants to be in Pittsburgh. Sort of flirted with a trade request, but in the end, loves Mike Tomlin, wants to be a part of things. From the Steelers’ perspective, they want to keep all their arsenal intact, because of the quarterback situation.”
If Pickens had gone through with a trade request, the team likely would’ve looked to accommodate it rather than have an unhappy Pickens on the roster. He’s entering a contract year in 2025, and he probably won’t receive an extension prior to the season. If Pickens had requested a trade, he could’ve gone to a team that may have looked to lock him long-term. He also could’ve gone to a team where he would’ve been the No. 1 receiver instead of being in a room with the recently-acquired DK Metcalf.
On the flipside, playing with Metcalf could free up Pickens in the passing game after being Pittsburgh’s clear-cut No. 1 receiver the past two years. Instead of facing double or triple teams, Pickens could face softer coverage that will allow him to continue to be productive. Pickens and Metcalf have the potential to be one of the best receiver duos in the league.
Pickens unfollowed the team on Instagram at some point since the Metcalf trade, usually a sign that a player is unhappy. While he may have considered his future with the team for a period of time, it seems as if both the Steelers and Pickens are committed to keeping him with the team for at least the upcoming season. After that, his future is up in the air, but if George Pickens is bought in as it seems he is, there’s a lot of potential for him to have a big season in 2025 across from Metcalf.
The only question is who’s going to be throwing them the football.
