Just when you thought the NFL was quieting down after the 2025 NFL Draft, the Dallas Cowboys woke everyone up with a blockbuster trade on Wednesday morning. George Pickens won’t be catching passes from Aaron Rodgers with the Pittsburgh Steelers. He’ll be catching passes from Dak Prescott in Dallas instead.
While the timing of the Pickens trade came as a surprise, Sports Illustrated’s NFL insider Albert Breer believes the Steelers may have had a good reason to trade their young star receiver.
“The concern I’d have from Dallas’s perspective is that, generally, when Mike Tomlin says goodbye to a receiver, the player’s issues aren’t resolved. Tomlin’s the best at getting guys on board and managing personalities, which has allowed the Steelers to cast a wide net from a talent perspective for as long as he’s been there (Bill Cowher was similar before him). The flip side is when Pittsburgh’s done with a guy such as Pickens, it usually says something.”
SI’s Albert Breer on George Pickens
Whether the Steelers truly traded Pickens at an opportune time remains to be seen. From an outsider’s perspective, Pickens has been a highly productive player, who has yet to generate fewer than 801 receiving yards in a single season.
Now, the Cowboys hope they can help maximize the 24-year-old’s potential, helping him unlock the next level of his development. In an offense that’s run by Dak Prescott and features a superstar wideout in CeeDee Lamb, Pickens should get plenty of chances to win 1-on-1 battles.
Interestingly enough, despite Pickens entering the final year of his rookie contract, he prefers not to sign an extension this offseason. He’ll instead look to have a career year in the hopes of landing an even larger salary on his next deal. We’ll see how that works out for him in due time.
Related: Pittsburgh Steelers could be planning to trade for another WR2 after dealing Pickens
