The Pittsburgh Steelers appear to have come out with the short end of the stick in the whole George Pickens saga, as the Dallas Cowboys managed to get an elite season out of him one year after a trade that netted Omar Khan a third-round pick.
However, the latest bombshell news report coming out of Dallas' pre-Draft press conference makes it seem that everyone's plans of a future where Pickens has a star on his helmet for the prime of his career may not come to fruition.
Stephen Jones confirmed that the Cowboys are not going to sign Pickens to a long-term contract and expect him to play the 2026 season under the franchise tag, which seems like a sharp change from where this team was in the past. In a roundabout way, that could be good news for the Steelers.
The Cowboys, like the Steelers, are struggling to work something out with Pickens in the long-term future. They could find themselves shopping the standout boundary target, which puts them in nearly the exact same spot Pittsburgh was in just a few years ago. Perhaps a second trade is coming?
Pittsburgh Steelers may win George Pickens trade as Cowboys deny long-term deal
Pickens caught 93 passes for 1,429 yards and nine touchdowns last season, which stands out as career-best marks in all of those categories. Pickens could form one of the game's best wide receiver tandems for years to come opposite CeeDee Lamb.
Instead of locking him up, Dallas find themselves in the same situation that Pittsburgh was in just a few years ago, as they are unwilling to give Pickens the long-term deal he wants. After the year he had, losing him after 2026 could send Dallas on a one-way train to rebuild land.
The Steelers, meanwhile, have even more ammunition to build a roster that can get back to the postseason. With Pickens effectively replaced for cheaper after the trade for Michael Pittman Jr. this offseason, the Steelers can use their 12 picks to beef up some of the weaker areas on this squad.
If the Steelers end up using their third-rounder to bring in a long-term contributor, they may have somehow emerged as the winner of the Pickens trade despite the gaudy numbers he is amassing as a Cowboy. Khan is not a perfect GM, but this could be one heck of a win if the Cowboys manage to help him out here.
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