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George Pickens trade now leaves the Steelers with one glaring question

Can we get an answer?
Ryan Heckman
Ryan Heckman

Still Curtain

Pittsburgh Steelers, George Pickens / Perry Knotts/GettyImages

It finally happened. The Pittsburgh Steelers opened the door on a George Pickens trade and emphatically closed that chapter.

Pittsburgh dealt the veteran wide receiver to the Dallas Cowboys in exchange for a third-round pick and a late pick swap in 2027, and in the process, dealt with one of their biggest issues at hand.

It's no secret that Pickens has been a longstanding "issue," to put it one way.

His attitude had been a problem for a while now. It wasn't just fans who had gotten sick of all the antics, but the trade proves that the frustration was boiling over on the inside of the organization, too.

But, Pickens wasn't the only glaring issue within the Steelers roster. Clearly, this team has had one overarching problem that has yet to be solved. Now that Pickens is gone, will we finally get an answer to the question?

The George Pickens trade now leaves the Steelers with one gigantic Aaron Rodgers question

If Pickens was going to be an issue for Aaron Rodgers, he's no longer around. So, that potential hangup is not a problem anymore.

Sure, Rodgers has reportedly been dealing with stuff in his personal life and, to be frank, he deserves to be respected in that regard.

Yet, we're now fully past the 2025 NFL Draft with free agency long in the rear view mirror, and the Steelers don't have a capable starting quarterback.

You could argue Mason Rudolph, and that's fine. You might even try and hype up rookie sixth-round pick Will Howard, although he'll take some time to develop. But, there is not a single option on this roster more capable than Rodgers, and the Steelers know it.

Rodgers even spent some time throwing to DK Metcalf recently, so there's a connection that's been established.

Now, it's about time for Rodgers to make his decision. After all, it's nearly summer.

Ryan Heckman

Ryan Heckman

Ryan Heckman is a Lead NFL Editor for FanSided, covering all 32 teams across the league. Ryan has covered various leagues and teams dating back to 2012, with experience covering both the NFL and NBA. His work has been featured on Bleacher Report and Sports Illustrated among other publications. He loves Jesus, family, and the NFL in that order. If he isn't writing, Ryan is spending time with his wife and kids, drinking coffee or lifting weights.