When the Dallas Cowboys made nine selections in the 2025 NFL Draft, and none of them were wide receivers, it set off some concern about the team's offensive makeup.
But Wednesday’s trade of George Pickens to Dallas has answered that question. The Cowboys sent next year's third-round pick to the Steelers, and the teams will execute a swap of late-round 2027 selections for the talented but tumultuous receiver.
Pickens, 24, is one of the better young receivers in the NFL. There also were reasons why the Steelers were willing to move on from him.
This deal has a lot of tentacles, and I wanted to sort through the effects of it to determine which narratives in the trade's aftermath hold some truth and which ones might be a bit sensationalized.
1) Pickens as the Cowboys' missing piece: OVERBLOWN
There's no doubt that this trade improved Dallas' passing game, assuming Pickens arrives hungry and focused. He's a deep-play threat who averaged 16.7 yards per reception the past two seasons -- nearly a full yard more than the next man on the list (DK Metcalf, at 16.0).
Pickens is also the only NFL player over each of the past three seasons to post 50-plus receptions, 800-plus receiving yards and average 15-plus yards per reception. From a football standpoint, he's been pretty consistent, and Pickens has only missed three career games due to injury. He's also set to make $3.656 million in 2025, the final year of his rookie deal. He'll want to maximize his value before free agency in 2026.
But to suggest the Cowboys, coming off a 7-10 season, were one receiver away from something special is a bit of a stretch to me.
Yes, they're better with Pickens. CeeDee Lamb badly needed a running mate, and the Cowboys lacked another big-play threat. The Cowboys had seven 40-yard pass plays last season; Pickens had four by himself. His arrival also helps the mystery run game -- which received a boost when Dallas selected talented run blocker Tyler Booker in Round 1 and Texas RB Jaydon Blue in Round 5 -- and what Brian Schottenheimer envisions for his offense.
But until Pickens is signed long term, this is a one-year experiment. Can Dallas improve markedly on each side of the ball to become Super Bowl contenders with Pickens' arrival? Too big a leap for me.
2) Steelers should've gotten more in return: ON POINT
There were multiple reasons why Pickens' value wasn't commensurate with his talent, age and production. One was his expiring contract. Any team potentially trading for him knew that he'd need and want a new deal in 2026 and beyond.
Another biggie: Pickens' chronic incidents -- some minor, some bigger -- over the past few years. The 2023 season offered early breadcrumbs that the relationship between Pickens and the team was souring, with the receiver scrubbing his Instagram account of everything Steelers-related, posting a "free me" message on the platform. He also earned criticism for a lack of effort while blocking during a game late in the year.
Last season only fanned the flames. He wore eye black with a message ("Open F------ Always") against the Cowboys, coincidentally, seeing reduced snaps that game. Pickens also got in a dustup with the Browns' Greg Newsome II, was flagged twice for unsportsmanlike conduct against the Bengals and reportedly showed up late for the Christmas Day game against the Chiefs.
"He's got to grow up in a hurry," Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin said last season. It felt like Pittsburgh just had enough of Pickens, leading to offseason trade talks.
But by failing to execute a trade prior to the draft (which was considered leaner at receiver), the Steelers not only failed to secure assets for 2025, but they barely got more than what they likely would have via a compensatory draft pick had they let him play out his final season in Pittsburgh and walk in free agency next spring.
3) Time for Dak to deliver: ON POINT
Earlier I wrote that I can't yet consider the Cowboys a prime Super Bowl candidate. Yet in this same space I'll argue that Dak Prescott can't hide from expectations and must thrive at this critical stage of his career.
First, there's the pressure for Prescott to return to his 2023 form after another injury-marred year. He didn't play great in 2024 and has been too interception-prone in two of his past three seasons.
Plus, there's the need for the quarterback to take on an enhanced leadership role on this team. Zack Martin's retirement and Demarcus Lawrence's departure removed two big, respected voices from the locker room. Lamb's body language was a subject of conjecture at times the past few seasons, and now Pickens arrives with even more questions in that same vein.
Even with the head-coaching change from Mike McCarthy, going with a former OC in Schottenheimer affords some continuity, and the Lamb-Pickens duo will be one of the more feared WR combos in the NFL.
The Cowboys added resources elsewhere to aid the offense, too. But if Prescott and everyone -- his receivers, his coaches, the offensive line -- are not on the same page, it could be another long season in Dallas.
4) The Steelers suddenly lack weapons: ON POINT
The cupboard is not bare in Pittsburgh, but the biggest offseason moves on offense involved one-for-one swaps: Metcalf for Pickens. Rookie running back Kaleb Johnson for Najee Harris. Second-year tackle Troy Fautanu for Dan Moore Jr.
You could even argue the Steelers have incurred a net loss at receiver, adding only Metcalf and Robert Woods while replacing Pickens, Van Jefferson and Mike Williams, even if the latter two only made so much impact.
Metcalf is the A1 target, no questions asked. Pat Freiermuth is a solid option at tight end. Calvin Austin III showed some real upside last season, but is he too slight to be more than an occasional big-play option? The only other receiver on the roster who reasonably could add some unexpected punch would be last year's third-rounder, Roman Wilson, who had his rookie year wiped out due to injury.
I think the Steelers need one more reliable body here. The three best receivers remaining on Gregg Rosenthal’s top free agents list: Amari Cooper, Keenan Allen and the recently released Gabe Davis. There also is a slew of unemployed Aaron Rodgers-approved pass catchers, and his former team, the Packers, might have a surplus at the position after drafting two more wideouts and could be open to moving one of them.
All these options have drawbacks, but each could add a little something to the Steelers' incomplete offense.
5) Aaron Rodgers might be scared off: OVERBLOWN
The Steelers behaved like an unconcerned team during the 2025 NFL Draft, bypassing several quarterbacks -- including the freefalling Shedeur Sanders, with whom they met pre-draft -- until selecting Ohio State's Will Howard in Round 6. Even with Howard leading the Buckeyes to a national title in January, the Steelers are not entering this season with plans of Howard starting games.
Almost everything the Steelers said before the draft and during it suggests that they believe Aaron Rodgers will sign with the team this offseason. Even if it hasn't happened yet.
Could Rodgers get colder feet after seeing the Pickens deal go through? I say no.
Sure, losing a potential big-play weapon such as Pickens -- the likes with which Rodgers has thrived throwing to for much of his career -- is tough. But if there's anyone who's tough and demanding on his receivers, it's the finicky Rodgers, who expects perfection from them. Run the wrong route, and you might be in his dog house. Just ask Mike Williams about that last season with the Jets; Rodgers and Garrett Wilson also had their tense moments.
Maybe Rodgers' demanding style could have helped Pickens, but that's all for naught now. Perhaps the Steelers even gave Rodgers a window into their thinking on the receiver's future there. I doubt this move came as a shock to him.
Rodgers still would have Metcalf as his go-to guy, assuming the QB ends up in Pittsburgh, and they've already tried to break the ice with a workout together. What Rodgers stands to lose in potential production with Pickens gone could be offset with Metcalf's arrival, a breakout season from one of the young wideouts and perhaps just a little more outside help.
