After quiet trade rumors circulated about George Pickens at the NFL Draft, nothing crossed the finish line. The Pittsburgh Steelers stuck to their price, which a partner met when they finalized a trade with the Dallas Cowboys. The embattled star receiver will head to Texas, but Dallas shouldn't plan parades.
They have a new toxic personality to manage this season.
Pickens is under contract through this year, but he is a pending free agent once 2026 hits. The Cowboys have a first-year head coach and a franchise struggling to stay relevant. Acquiring Pickens made a massive splash, but he won't fix all their problems.
Dallas has a locker room issue, and they better hope Pickens is on his best behavior when he joins the team.
Steelers general manager Omar Khan made his star receiver available because the organization is tired of dealing with him. Their former second-round pick has shown constant outbursts on the sideline and a lack of responsibility in his profession. Pickens's transition from Mike Tomlin to a first-time head coach could inflate his ego more and create further destruction for the Cowboys.
George Pickens could become the next former Pittsburgh Steelers receiver to fail after a trade
The Steelers' recent history has been positive regarding their timeframe to move on from toxic personalities.
They traded Antonio Brown after he wanted out of Pittsburgh. Many were shocked by the tiny value they got in return for the Hall of Fame player. After he left the organization, things quickly soured for Brown's career. He went from the Raiders to the Patriots and then the Buccaneers.
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Khan has learned that there is a point in time when you cannot hold onto the poisonous personality in the locker room. Tomlin and Khan have struggled to deal with Pickens' fits since joining the team in 2022. The talent is undeniable, but Pickens shows a similar career path to those former Steelers traded out of town. Dallas might want an electric player, but it will receive a headache instead.
Martavis Bryant was viewed as a young superstar receiver before the Steelers shipped him out of town. He got traded, and his career took a turn for the worse. Pittsburgh looked like a genius since Bryant fizzled out of the NFL soon after.
Pickens has proven he can be a star, but many thought the same about Bryant. Nothing is guaranteed if you fail to help your team push forward as a group.
Diontae Johnson, Pickens former teammate, is the most recent example for the Steelers.
They saw his unwillingness to achieve victory and moved him to the Panthers. The former star receiver was employed by three different teams last season, and his toxicity might run him out of the NFL. It appears Pickens failed to learn from Johnson's past mistakes.