The Pittsburgh Steelers' offseason started with a bang, trading for Seattle Seahawks wide receiver DK Metcalf in a blockbuster deal. Since that move, however, it's been mostly crickets from Omar Khan and the Steelers' front office.
Aside from a few cheap deals for players like Malik Harrison, Kenneth Gainwell, Brandon Echols, and Mason Rudolph, Pittsburgh has been letting the market play out while they try to determine who their starting quarterback will be in 2025.
One move that feels likely to happen at some point, however, involves another trade revolving around a receiver.
George Pickens has been highly productive for the Steelers in his first three seasons, racking up 2,841 receiving yards and 12 touchdowns. Despite the production, his attitude on and off the field, combined with his need for a new contract, could mean the end of his time in Pittsburgh.
Pittsburgh Steelers would be wise to trade George Pickens after DK Metcalf addition
With Metcalf now in Pittsburgh on a generous five-year, $150 million deal, he should be the clear top option in the passing game moving forward. That would theoretically open up more opportunities for Pickens to get one-on-one coverage, where we all know he is almost impossible to defend on jump ball targets.
The issue is that both of them are vertical receivers first and foremost, Metcalf thanks to his speed and Pickens with his otherworldly body control and leaping ability. It's not that they couldn't coexist, but they are far from complimentary from a skillset perspective.
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The Steelers will also have to extend Pickens this season if they want to avoid playing the franchise tag game, similar to what the Bengals are doing with Tee Higgins. It makes more sense to try and get a valuable draft pick while they can if there is interest around the league.
Teams like the New England Patriots, Los Angeles Chargers, and Carolina Panthers are all in need of a receiver with legitimate Pro Bowl ability. Pickens offers that and would have the chance to play with better QBs than he has up to this point in his career.
If the Steelers do decide to move him, the hope would be to recoup the second-round pick they lost in the Metcalf trade. While the price is steep, a team may be willing to gamble on his potential.