The Pittsburgh Steelers have a lot of questions throughout the organization’s current roster. The obvious one is the quarterback position as the franchise still does not have a reliable starting-caliber player at the position. Another concern is the future of star wide receiver, George Pickens. The receiver is entering his fourth season and it will be the last year of his rookie contract. It does not seem like an extension is coming any time soon for Pickens, and many believe there is a chance he will get dealt elsewhere before the 2025 season begins.

Pickens is a controversial player in the league as he has been fairly productive over the course of his career on a mediocre offense. He has had below-average quarterback play, yet has still been able to produce. However, the poor offensive performances have forced him to have some explosions on the sideline. These antics and other issues are what have put his future in jeopardy, and some believe he has played his last game with Pittsburgh. One former NFL GM has confirmed that the Steelers are likely shopping Pickens, which was reported during a post on social media by Andrew Fillipponi.

“The Steelers are open for business on George Pickens,” the former GM said. “That’s why they brought in [Matthew Golden] for a visit.”

Pittsburgh hosted former Texas wide receiver Matthew Golden for a pre-draft visit, which shows the interest the organization has in a wide receiver in the first-round. It is a slim chance that Golden will be available when Pittsburgh picks at 21, but hosting him shows the organization could be selecting a receiver of some kind with its first pick.

Golden has the potential to be off of the board within the first 12 picks of the event, but there is a slim chance that he may fall to where Pittsburgh is picking. He had a decent year in 2024 as he hauled in nine touchdowns and recorded nearly 1,000 yards. If Pittsburgh selects Golden or another receiver, it doesn’t confirm that Pickens will be traded, but it should make some teams pick up the phone and call about his availability.

Another offseason move that jeopardizes Pickens’ future with the Steelers is the franchise trading for star wide receiver DK Metcalf. Pittsburgh acquired him from the Seattle Seahawks ahead of free agency, and he is expected to be a key focus of the Pittsburgh offense. Both Pickens and Metcalf have had their fair share of fits when they are not getting targeted, so it will be interesting to see the dynamic if they do end up playing together.

Steelers could deal George Pickens on draft night

There are a lot of starting-caliber players available in the 2025 NFL Draft, and Pittsburgh is going to want as many picks as possible. The organization had to give up its second-round pick in exchange for Metcalf, so there is a chance Pittsburgh will be looking to acquire an extra Day 2 pick. This is where trading a player like Pickens could come into play.

Pickens’ value is hard to determine due to the poor offensive performances in Pittsburgh, paired with the inability to control his emotions. However, it should be fair to assume he would be able to fetch a third-round selection. The Steelers could certainly make this move in order to draft another receiver they have been interested in, or draft one of the running backs or defensive linemen from the deep class.

The possibilities are endless, and there is a very real chance that Pickens plays for Pittsburgh in 2025. However, it will be the last year of his deal. The franchise would likely allow him to walk in free agency, which might make trading him now seem like the better option.

What do you want Pittsburgh to do with Pickens?