Steelers’ Mike Tomlin drops blunt take on George Pickens trade to Cowboys

The Pittsburgh Steelers have done a lot of reshuffling on offense this offseason in an attempt to get out of the treadmill of mediocrity that they have been cycling on for many years now. Justin Fields and Russell Wilson are out and DK Metcalf is in, even if the Steelers don’t know exactly who is going to be throwing the former Seattle Seahawks star the ball this fall.

After the NFL Draft, the Steelers made their latest move, trading wide receiver George Pickens to the Dallas Cowboys for draft compensation. On Saturday, Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin gave his first statement on the big trade, via Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk.

“You know, I’m not gonna add any color to it other than what [general manager] Omar [Khan] told you guys yesterday,” Tomlin said, per Florio. “We thought it was best and timely for all parties involved.”

Khan had said that the trade allowed both sides to get a fresh start after a tumultuous couple of years together. Pickens is unquestionably one of the most talented wide receivers in football, but he left plenty to be desired when it comes to discipline and consistency on the field.

Still, he will be a great addition to a Cowboys wide receiver room that desperately needed a running mate alongside CeeDee Lamb. Now, Pickens can come in and be that No. 2 wideout for Dak Prescott, and he should instantly benefit from not being the top guy while opposing defenses game plan around Lamb each week.

In three seasons in Pittsburgh, Pickens racked up more than 2,800 receiving yards and 12 touchdowns. He had his best season in 2023, finishing with 63 catches for 1,140 yards and five touchdowns. While his consistency is up and down, the fact that he was able to still put up those numbers shows the type of talent that the Cowboys are getting in the former Georgia football star.