Pittsburgh Steelers Ryan Clark addressed a different angle on the whole George Pickens to Dallas Cowboys trade deal.
George Pickens, Ryan Clark (Images via BR/ESPN)
In an unsurprising move, Jerry Jones pulled one more wild move earlier today. The octogenarian owner and general manager of the Dallas Cowboys brought wideout George Pickens and a 2027 sixth-round pick from the Pittsburgh Steelers.
The Dallas Cowboys have raised concerns about needing a second wide receiver throughout the offseason. Jerry Jones had also mentioned that they would be signing one ahead of the offseason. When that didn’t work out, the Cowboys were expecting to draft Tetairoa McMillan, who went early as an eighth pick in the 2025 NFL Draft to the Carolina Panthers. Furthermore, they didn’t draft one in the later rounds themselves.
Pickens, who joined the Steelers in 2022, has one more year in his rookie contract. He will finish the final year with the Dallas Cowboys, where he will become the second wideout opposite CeeDee Lamb.
The key reactions after the trade are primarily about the Dallas Cowboys’ inadequate decisions and their management troubles. Pickens was one of the most trouble-mongering players on the roster, both on the field and off the field.
However, a former Steelers legend, Ryan Clark, introduced a new perspective to the whole Pickens trade in a recent Get Up podcast. As a Steelers alumnus, Clark highlighted that the trade is more about what the Pittsburgh team has in store for the next season rather than the Cowboys’ angle.
Clark admitted that the Pittsburgh Steelers’ doing away with Pickens means that the Black and Gold are planning to tank the 2026 season. The tank, as per Clark, is to ensure a higher draft ranking in the upcoming year.
It sounds like they’re tanking, and I know they are, because they’ve made other moves. But when you look at this roster, this roster can’t compete to have a winning season. This roster can’t compete to be a playoff team. This roster can’t compete to be an AFC champion. And in no time that I’ve been associated with the Pittsburgh Steelers have I felt that way.
Ryan Clark said
Ryan Clark’s argument carries considerable ethos. The Pittsburgh Steelers are currently facing a significant issue at the quarterback position—an issue that 2025 draftee Will Howard may not be the answer to.
Unlike the certainty they once had with Ben Roethlisberger, the franchise has lacked a definitive solution since his departure. Securing a higher draft position in the upcoming class would provide the Steelers with an opportunity to select a top-tier quarterback prospect.
Ryan Clark questions Steelers’ direction amid declining postseason hopes and roster uncertainty
The Pittsburgh Steelers are one of the most consistent teams in the league, with 35 playoff appearances, third most behind the Green Bay Packers and the Dallas Cowboys. The Steelers have never had a losing season since 2003, when they went 6-10 under Bill Cowher.
Although they have almost two decades of .500 or above seasons, they have only won the Super Bowl twice since 2003. The last one came in 2008 when Roethlisberger and company defeated the Arizona Cardinals 27-23.
The constant yet-so-close but never-winning has annoyed fans for far too long. Despite the same, they had the streak to cling on, which Ryan Clark thinks is in trouble. Clark noted that the Steelers are no longer a team to place bets on.
And it’s not only about what the roster looks like, it’s the way that they’re moving and maneuvering around building this roster. I don’t really understand what’s going on, but I do have a ton of faith in Omar Khan, the general manager. I have a ton of faith in Mike Tomlin. But at this point, this isn’t a team I’d put any money on.
Ryan Clark said
Clark is not the only one who feels the same. Former Steelers offensive lineman Trai Essex also admitted that the trade feels wrong, given the fact that they didn’t draft any wideout either.
