Steelers Trade WR George Pickens to Cowboys Amid Receiver Overhaul

The Dallas Cowboys traded for wide receiver George Pickens from the Pittsburgh Steelers, a move met with both optimism and concern. Analyst Mike Florio believes the Steelers mishandled Pickens by not utilizing his talents adequately, leading to his trade and the Cowboys giving him a fresh start to potentially complement star receiver CeeDee Lamb. However, ESPN's Seth Walder expressed concerns about Pickens' character issues and noted that even Steelers coach Mike Tomlin, known for managing diverse personalities, was done with him. The Steelers replaced Pickens with DK Metcalf, signing him to a lucrative contract, but Florio questions whether Pittsburgh will properly use Metcalf given their prior struggles with Pickens. Insider Adam Caplan revealed that the Steelers decided against extending Pickens' contract after the 2024 season, opting to trade him for draft picks while acquiring Metcalf as a better option than any wide receiver in the 2025 draft class. Despite Pickens' production, his behavioral issues and the similar play styles with Metcalf sealed his fate in Pittsburgh, while the Cowboys hope to leverage his playmaking ability in their offense.