Steelers GM Omar Khan Reveals How George Pickens Trade to Cowboys Happened

George Pickens was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2022 in the second round after an exceptional CFP national championship win.

Steelers GM Omar Khan Reveals How George Pickens Trade to Cowboys Happened

Omar Khan, George Pickens (Images via Front Office Sports/Yahoo Sports)

The Pittsburgh Steelers traded their former wide receiver George Pickens to the Dallas Cowboys ahead of the new season. The deal included a third-round pick and a swap of the Day 3 picks in the upcoming NFL draft.

The trade came after three seasons of mixed performances from Pickens, who showed both promise and inconsistency. Pittsburgh general manager Omar Khan reportedly considered both internal development and market dynamics before making the decision.

In a recent interview with the Pittsburgh Post Gazette, Omar Khan opened up about the dynamics of the trade and how it happened. Khan acknowledged that several teams had enquired about the deal. He further added that the Dallas Cowboys approached the team about trading George Pickens and sent a proposal as well.

We had some people inquire during the draft. Nothing made sense. The Cowboys reached out and proposed something for us to think about.

Omar Khan on the George Pickens trade

In the same article, Omar Khan also dwelled upon their current roster and the wideout situation. He also pointed out that they would not have agreed top such trade if he didn’t feel good about their current wide receivers.

In the offseason, the Steelers brought in DK Metcalf from the Seattle Seahawks. Metcalf had proven himself in Seattle alongside strong offensive support like Tyler Lockett. The Steelers might be hoping for a similar offensive partnership.

The Steelers also have Calvin Austin III, whose production is an area of concern. He has only posted 728 receiving yards in two seasons. However, he was considered a rising talent to cling on to. To sum it up, Metcalf is a stellar addition, but his production was heavily dependent on offensive support, which is a gamble right now. As mentioned, there are concerns about Austin and their other receiver, Roman Wilson.

Mike Tomlin aligned himself with Omar Khan on his views on the George Pickens trade

Mike Tomlin wasn’t George Pickens’ biggest fan. Pickens didn’t make it easy for the head coach either. There were instances of emotional aggression on the field as well as production declines towards the end of the season, including a zero-yard game. Off the field, Pickens also created chaos by missing training sessions.

Mike Tomlin
Mike Tomlin (Image via Imago)

Amid the season, Tomlin also noted that there’s room for development for the wideout. So, yes, things have been very tumultuous between the coach and the former player.

While speaking to reporters Saturday at the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex during rookie minicamp, Mike Tomlin made it clear he wouldn’t elaborate further on the George Pickens trade. He affirmed that his views were in alignment with those of General Manager Omar Khan. Tomlin emphasized that he believed that parting ways had been the right move for both sides.

You know, I’m not going to expand on it beyond what Omar shared with you all yesterday. We believed it was the right and timely decision for everyone involved.

Mike Tomlin told reporters

Mike Tomlin further added that his focus is on the rookies and the weekend. The Steelers, who hold twelve draft picks in the upcoming draft, are equally focused on the minicamp as other franchises.

They have around 45 players trying to earn a spot on the roster, including the draft picks, UDFAs, certain first-year players, and a select bunch of veterans as well. In this three-day mini camp, there are 5 veterans, 15 rookies, and 25 tryouts, bringing the count to 45.

Also Read: Stephen A. Smith Feels George Pickens’ trade to Cowboys just “looks good on paper”