After months of chitchat, turns out the Pittsburgh Steelers are indeed shipping off veteran wide receiver George Pickens. Yup, Pittsburgh is sending him packing to the Dallas Cowboys, as per CBS Sports NFL Insider Jonathan Jones. In return, they’re snagging a third-round pick and some other draft picks swaps, according to ESPN. The Cowboys had their eyes on Pickens during the 2025 NFL Draft, but nothing came of it then. Now, after skipping out on a wideout during the draft, they’re snagging the former 1,000-yard receiver who’s in the final year of his rookie contract.
In Pickens, Dallas is scoring a talented yet controversial player. Sure, Pickens is one of the best receivers out there talent-wise, but his struggles to keep his emotions in check held him back from reaching his full potential in Pittsburgh. His teammates had to rein him in on the sideline multiple times during games. He even got into shouting matches with fans, like the one at the end of Pittsburgh’s loss in Cleveland in 2024.
If he can get a grip on his emotions, Pickens could shine in Dallas, playing alongside quarterback Dak Prescott and the perennial Pro Bowler CeeDee Lamb. With Pickens and Lamb on board, the Cowboys could have their best receiving duo since the days of Michael Irvin and Alvin Harper in the early 1990s.
As Pickens heads to Dallas, the Steelers are now left with a gap at the receiver spot. They might try to use the draft picks they got from Dallas to snag another receiver to pair up with DK Metcalf, a two-time Pro Bowler they got from Seattle in March. They could also dip their toes in free agency, considering former Pro Bowlers Keenan Allen and Amari Cooper are still hanging around.
Not really sure why this matters, but the Steelers are in a bit of a pickle now that Pickens is off to Dallas. They’ll need to figure something out to fill that gap he’s leaving. Maybe it’s just me, but it seems like they’ve got some work to do to get back on track. Guess we’ll have to wait and see how it all plays out.
In conclusion, the Steelers are saying goodbye to Pickens and hello to some draft picks. Dallas is banking on Pickens to bring his A-game and leave the drama behind. The NFL offseason is always full of surprises, and this trade is just one of many moves happening around the league. Let’s see how it all pans out on the field next season.
