It has been a little over a year since the Pittsburgh Steelers made the move to trade former wide receiver George Pickens to the Dallas Cowboys. Depending on how you look at it, things worked out for both parties. The Steelers won the AFC North, and Pickens ended up having the best season of his career.
After his Pro Bowl season, Pickens is looking for a major contract from Dallas. However, the Cowboys might be reluctant to do so. If a new contract cannot be agreed upon, could a trade be in the works? According to Cowboys insider Todd Archer (via Cowboys CEO Stephen Jones), no one has called the Cowboys in an effort to trade for Pickens.
The Pittsburgh Steelers Could’ve Used George Pickens Last Season
GettyGeorge Pickens was drafted by the Steelers in the second round out of Georgia in 2022.
To prepare for the loss of Pickens, the Steelers traded for and extended two-time Pro Bowl wide receiver DK Metcalf. While Metcalf ended up leading the Steelers in receiving this past season with 850 yards, no other Steelers wide receiver ended up eclipsing 500 receiving yards. That ended up being a problem towards the end of the season as the team fell flat in the postseason once again.
For Pickens, although the Cowboys didn’t make the playoffs, he set career-highs in receptions (93), receiving yards (1,429), and touchdown catches (9). While All-Pro wide receiver CeeDee Lamb was battling injuries, Pickens more than picked up the slack as the team’s leading receiver. He was named an All-Pro and voted to his first career Pro Bowl.
The Steelers Have Seemingly Learned From Their Mistake
GettyThe Steelers traded for former Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. earlier this offseason.
It seems as though the Steelers have taken a different approach to the wide receiver room this offseason. Pittsburgh failed to keep two star receivers last offseason, and it was somewhat to blame for how their season ended. However, things are a little different this offseason with Mike McCarthy taking over as head coach.
Not only does the franchise already possess one star in Metcalf, but it was able to add another No. 1 wide receiver. Now, led by one of the better offensive head coaches in football, Pittsburgh’s offense has one of the league’s best wide receiver duos. Combine that with a pair of 1,000-yard scrimmage backs in Jaylen Warren and Rico Dowdle, and the Steelers look like a formidable unit on offense.
Of course, the quarterback position is still a question mark for the team. Will future Hall of Famer Aaron Rodgers be back for his 22nd career NFL season? If he is, he will get the chance to reunite with McCarthy, who helped him win two MVPs during their 13 years together in Green Bay. The duo also led the Packers to their last Super Bowl victory over 15 years ago. After recording 25 total touchdowns and posting a solid passer rating of 94.8, Rodgers helped the Steelers win their first division title in five years last season.
Trade Interest Level in Former Steelers WR Revealed: Report