3 Reasons Why Steelers Trading George Pickens Will Go Down as One of the Worst NFL Trades of All-Time

It’s still too soon to decide whether trading wide receiver George Pickens was a bad decision by the Pittsburgh Steelers. Ten games into his Dallas Cowboys career, Pickens ranks second in receiving yards, trailing only Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Jaxson Smith-Njigba.

The Steelers traded Pickens and a sixth-round draft pick to the Cowboys in exchange for a 2026 third-round pick and a 2027 seventh-round pick. Kay Adams on the Up & Adams Show claimed that the Steelers made a mistake by parting ways with Pickens despite adding DK Metcalf in the offseason:

I think that trading George Pickens is probably going to go down as one of the worst deals in NFL history, and I mean that… I’m sorry to the Steelers. I just think it’s true. And the best from the Dallas perspective. Like, what a haul. It is so clear. It is so glaringly obvious watching George Pickens last night.

The Steelers traded Pickens a year before he became eligible for a contract extension. While a few questions were raised, the Steelers’ motive behind the move was clear; they no longer wanted to entertain Pickens’ antics on and off the field.

GP looks like a player reborn in Dallas. Even though he was benched for the first series during the Cowboys’ week 1 game against the Raiders in Vegas, Pickens racked up 144 receiving yards and 1 touchdown. He has fully settled into the Cowboys’ setup, rapidly climbing the ranks to become one of owner Jerry Jones’ favorites.

Speaking on the 105.3 The Fan Radio show following the win in Vegas, Jones hinted that Pickens could be part of the Cowboys’ long-term plans. Head coach Brian Schottenheimer, who was seen hugging both Pickens and CeeDee Lamb, sounded pumped when asked about Pickens’ future with the Cowboys.

The Cowboys are definitely reaping the benefits. As for the Steelers, they are at the top of the AFC North after beating the Bengals last week, but have yet to figure out who the team’s main man is. So, for the moment, the Cowboys appear to be the winners of the trade.

George Pickens is still young

The Cowboys desperately needed a second option in the off chance Lamb picked up an injury. They caught a glimpse of what Pickens is capable of when Lamb missed a few games. He recorded multiple 100+ receiving yard games, including a 134-yard and 2-touchdown game against the Green Bay Packers.

Dallas has several receivers on their roster, but no one comes close to Pickens in terms of pure talent aside from Lamb. Remarkably, he’s only 24 years old with prime years ahead of him.

On the other hand, Metcalf is three years older and pulling in significantly more with his five-year, $150 million AAV deal. He’s logged 50 catches for 551 yards and 5 touchdowns—solid production for a new team, but still short of true WR1 numbers.

The Cowboys have the option of tagging George Pickens

Pickens will enter free agency when his rookie contract ends in 2026. The chances of that happening are slim because the Cowboys’ front office and players love him. However, they don’t have to sign Pickens to a long-term contract right now.

Dallas has the option of placing a franchise tag on Pickens. While on the tag, the Cowboys can pay him less than his value for one year before offering him mouthwatering dollars.

The Dak Prescott factor

In Dallas, Pickens has a quarterback in Dak Prescott who was in the running for the NFL MVP two years ago and is heating up once again. He did not have that luxury in Pittsburgh. The Steelers went through six different quarterbacks (Aaron Rodgers being the sixth), never having a stable QB room. Pickens’ dad rightfully called out the Steelers prior to the trade:

Food for Thought: GP has played with 1 [Mitch] Tribusky, 2 [Kenny] Pickett, 3 [Mason] Rodolph, 4 [Russell] Wilson, 5 [Justin] Fields, 6 ????. All in 3 years. I can appreciate your sanity #14.

The Cowboys may be going through a Super Bowl drought, but they rarely switch quarterbacks. Since replacing Tony Romo in 2016, Prescott has been the main man at Jerry-land and will remain for the next few years as he’s the highest-paid player in football.

As for the Steelers, they relied on a 41-year-old Rodgers, who could retire after 2025, depending on his health. Of course, they have veteran Mason Rudolph and drafted CFP champion Will Howard, but currently, none of them are on the same level as Prescott.

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