Here’s Why The Steelers Traded George Pickens To The Cowboys

When Pickens does finalize negotiations on a new contract, some are projecting that he could command a pay day of somewhere between $25 million and $30 million annually. But given his history of having a poor attitude with Mike Tomlin and the rest of the Steelers coaching staff and his relative lack of production, Pittsburgh has decided that the juice simply isn’t worth the squeeze.

Pickens has a career-high of 1,140 receiving yards in a season during his first three in the NFL, and led the league in yards per reception in 2023. His numbers took a bit of a dip in 2024, as he put up 900 yards and 3 touchdowns in total.

Pittsburgh Increases Draft Arsenal For 2026

In the deal, the Steelers picked up third and fifth round picks, which they are adding to what is a growing treasure chest of assets for the 2026 NFL Draft. With the third round pick added, Pittsburgh now has five selections within the first three rounds, and 12 overall. It puts them in position to be one of the richest teams during next year’s selection process, at a point when they might be targeting a top quarterback prospect.

The argument against their case is that the Steelers could have gotten more in the trade. They gave up Pickens as well as a 6th round pick, and failed to bring in a top-65 overall selection in return. But what they received is roughly the value that most teams do in similar trades, especially ones that involve a player that is waiting to receive a pay day.