The optics looked bad when the Pittsburgh Steelers traded George Pickens, but it made sense. He was becoming too much of a distraction in the locker room, but that deal has continued to age poorly for the Steelers. Not only has Pickens produced great numbers since leaving Pittsburgh, but he has helped the Cowboys become the clear winners of that trade, and it paints Omar Khan in a bad light.
News broke on Sunday that struggling wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. was moved from the Arizona Cardinals to the Houston Texans. That trade only highlighted how bad a return the Steelers got in the Pickens trade.
It's clear that the former Pittsburgh wideout was a much better player at the time of his trade than Harrison Jr. This latest move just shows how ugly the Pickens deal has truly become.
His trade of George Pickens has only gotten uglier with the Marvin Harrison Jr. deal coming to light.
Looking back on this trade, the Steelers basically traded George Pickens for Drew Allar and a pick swap. That pick swap later unfolded into other deals between the two franchises earlier this past summer. Omar Khan has started to get a lot of flak for his poor decision as general manager recently, and that's fair.
Marvin Harrison Jr. trade shows the Pittsburgh Steelers got fleeced when they move George Pickens
When you look at this Marvin Harrison Jr. trade, you have to wonder how the Steelers didn't get better value in return for George Pickens. The Texans gave up a second-round pick, which is much more valuable than what Pittsburgh got in the deal. Harrison Jr. has quickly become a notable draft bust, while Pickens was seen as a physical freak at wide receiver when he was moved to Dallas.
At the end of the day this is a bad look for Omar Khan and the Steelers.
Yes, Pickens was on an expiring contract, while Harrison Jr. has some contract control going forward, but Pittsburgh clearly had the better player when it came to these trades. George Pickens has turned into a star player for the Cowboys, but he was already on that path when he played on some terrible offenses with the Steelers.
Pickens played three seasons for the Steelers, where he was a clear number one receiver for them. He produced an average season stat line of 58 receptions, 947 yards, and four touchdowns. Although Marvin Harrison Jr.'s rookie season numbers compared well to Pickens, he hasn't sustained that success. His immense struggles last season bled into this year, and it led to constant trade chatter.
It's wild how the Steelers gave up on George Pickens in a trade that only continues to age in a negative light.
This Marvin Harrison Jr. deal has only made matters worse for Omar Khan's perception in the Steel City. He needs to do better when trading players to other clubs. Supply and demand are key, and Khan obviously lost out when moving Pickens out of town, now that the Cardinals got more in return for a less-proven player in Marvin Harrison Jr.
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