Watching George Pickens flourish in Dallas has Charlie Batch questioning the Pittsburgh Steelers’ decision to trade him this May. Though the Steelers’ offense has found traction under Aaron Rodgers, Batch can’t help but wonder the greater heights it could take with Pickens aligning opposite DK Metcalf.
“I don’t think they should,” Batch told Kay Adams Tuesday morning on her Up & Adams show when asked if the Steelers should have jettisoned Pickens. “And the reason why is because, I agree you, they paired George Pickens up with arguably the worst coordinator in the history of the NFL. And I’m not throwing shade. The numbers are what they are. So he lost more games in Pittsburgh than he ever lost in his career. And he had a bad rap, and he didn’t know how to lose.”
Batch is obviously referring to Matt Canada, the much-maligned offensive coordinator who was fired midway through the 2023 season. While the offense struggled during Canada’s tenure, the Steelers still won. And in 2024, Pittsburgh made the playoffs under OC Arthur Smith. Pickens’ frustrations were rooted in not getting the ball or making plays regardless if Pittsburgh won or lost. The Cowboys are only 3-3-1, hardly a sterling record, but Pickens has largely been happy as a focal point of a pass-happy offense.
“When you look at just what George Pickens is doing as the number two receiver, he has 36 catches, 607 yards, six touchdowns,” Batch said. “But then when you look at the receiver group as a whole for the Steelers, they have 38 catches, 612 yards, and seven touchdowns. So that lets [you] know, you let a piece walk out that door.”
A week after the 2025 NFL Draft, Pittsburgh sent Pickens to the Cowboys for a 2026 third round pick. With limited outside options, the Steelers have relied on their internal group of replacements. Calvin Austin III assumed the role of No. 2 receiver and has played well in limited opportunities. He’s also missed the last two games with a shoulder injury. Roman Wilson has been quiet, though had favorable moments in last Thursday in the Steelers’ loss to the Cincinnati Bengals.
“What you’re seeing with Aaron Rodgers and DK, the challenge is defensively, they don’t respect the number two receiver,” Batch said.
There’s no question pairing Metcalf and Pickens would’ve made for a more potent duo. Two explosive and big-play receivers to create matchup headaches for defenses. But Pickens wasn’t traded for a lack of talent or ability. His immaturity and poor practice habits made him someone the Steelers had no intentions of re-signing after this season. And Pittsburgh probably wondered, fairly, how well Pickens would handle playing in a run-minded offense with Metcalf as the No. 1. A bad fit in the locker room and system is what got him shipped out of town. Pittsburgh made the call that his talent wasn’t worth the rest of his baggage.
Both teams have benefitted from the trade. Pittsburgh’s offense is No. 11 in the NFL, its highest ranking since 2018. And Dallas’ group is rolling as the No. 2-ranked offense in football. The next questions for both will be if the Steelers re-sign Austin this offseason or get more aggressive in finding a No. 2 receiver. As for the Cowboys, they will look to re-sign Pickens and hope he’s worth the long-term attachment.
