How Steelers Pivot After Trading Away George Pickens

Why the Steelers Moved On from George Pickens

The Steelers finally had enough of George Pickens and his antics. After repeatedly testing the organization’s patience, Pickens found himself shipped to Dallas despite his undeniable talent on the field. The disciplinary track record with Pickens is what accelerated this process. In 2024 alone, the guy racked up nearly $124,000 in fines. 

His tardiness problem became impossible to ignore. Showing up just 85 minutes before the Christmas Day kickoff against Kansas City – a full 35 minutes after Tomlin’s required two-hour arrival. Sources say he was “frequently tardy, if not absent to team meetings”. Even during the season, Coach Tomlin didn’t mince words about the situation, bluntly stating: “He’s just got to grow up. He’s got to grow up in a hurry”. Would not be surprised if Tomlin is the one who gave GM, Omar Khan his blessing to start the deal. 

The Steelers weren’t just now testing the waters on a Pickens trade. They explored potential partners before the draft but temporarily shelved those talks when they couldn’t get the value they wanted. Early offers reportedly circled around a fourth-round pick. The timing here is pretty interesting – after the draft but before training camp kicks off. This approach netted them a 2026 third-round pick instead of the fourth-rounder previously on the table. Dallas simply outbid the other suitors. 

Looking at the money side, Pickens was entering his contract year with a $4.17 million cap hit for 2025, just 1.47% of Pittsburgh’s salary cap. The Steelers previously made noise about keeping him long-term, but that talk quieted down as his behavior problems mounted. The front office faced a classic risk-reward dilemma with Pickens. Do you invest massive dollars in a guy who might score touchdowns on Sunday but give you headaches Monday through Saturday? Pittsburgh answered that question by handing those chips to DK Metcalf instead with a $132 million deal. That move alone should’ve told us Pickens was on borrowed time.

Who Replaces Pickens in the WR Room?

So the Steelers suddenly have a Pickens-sized hole in their receiver room. DK Metcalf is the undisputed alpha now, but who’s stepping up behind him? They always seem to find a way to reload. Pittsburgh brought in 33-year-old Robert Woods on a one-year, $2 million contract that screams “emergency veteran presence.” Woods brings 12 seasons of NFL experience with 683 career catches for 8,233 yards and 38 touchdowns. The guy’s versatility is still there – he played 115 snaps in the slot and 282 outside in 2024. But let’s be real – his production has fallen off a cliff with just 20 catches for 203 yards last season. He’s not exactly striking fear in defensive coordinators anymore.

The Supporting Cast

Calvin Austin III could be this year’s surprise breakout. The little speedster (5’9″) quietly put together 36 catches for 538 yards and four touchdowns last season. His 10 receptions of 20+ yards show he can stretch the field despite his size. This might be his moment to shine. Tight End, Pat Freiermuth might become the unexpected beneficiary here. They might be forced to use him as a receiver and leverage their other tight ends as blockers. Darnell Washington has excelled at this role. 

Now expectations have shifted to former third-round pick Roman Wilson. At Michigan, he averaged 16 yards per catch and scored 12 touchdowns in his senior campaign. The big question mark? Those ankle injuries that derailed his rookie season, limiting him to just five offensive snaps. Last year was essentially a redshirt year. GM, Omar Khan stated “We wouldn’t have done this if we didn’t feel good about the receiver situation, about our depth there.”  He rejected comparisons to the team’s 2024 receiver struggles, noting improvements in depth and development.