{"id":46674,"date":"2025-05-07T11:26:50","date_gmt":"2025-05-07T11:26:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/?p=46674"},"modified":"2025-05-07T11:26:50","modified_gmt":"2025-05-07T11:26:50","slug":"breaking-steelers-finalizing-trade-to-send-wr-george-pickens-to-cowboys","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/?p=46674","title":{"rendered":"Breaking: Steelers Finalizing Trade To Send WR George Pickens To Cowboys"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Pittsburgh Steelers are reportedly finalizing a trade to send WR George Pickens to the Dallas Cowboys, according to multiple reports this morning. Per NFL Media\u2019s Ian Rapoport, the deal in place is Pickens for a third-round selection and a late-round pick swap, likely in the 2026 NFL Draft.<\/p>\n

Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette was the first Steelers reporter to share the news as well.<\/p>\n

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ESPN sources: Dallas and Pittsburgh are working to finalize a trade that will send wide receiver George Pickens to the Cowboys in exchange for draft pick compensation. The trade is expected to be finalized today. pic.twitter.com\/EJvTb9KHG4<\/p>\n

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\u2014 Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) May 7, 2025<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Steelers trade \u201cin the works\u201d to send WR George Pickens to Cowboys for draft compensation, per sources<\/p>\n

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\u2014 Gerry Dulac (@gerrydulac) May 7, 2025<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

While a trade in itself isn\u2019t shocking, the timing of it is.\u00a0Trade rumors swirled around Pickens leading up to the draft with ESPN\u2019s Adam Schefter including him on a shortlist of potential moving pieces while Pickens unfollowed the team account on Instagram.<\/p>\n

Despite reports of the Steelers taking calls, Pickens wasn\u2019t moved during draft weekend and apparently wanted to remain a Steeler. The fact he\u2019s being dealt after the fact leads to logical questions of how Pittsburgh will replace his starting and key role in the lineup, eliciting fears of the team finding themselves in a similar situation as 2024. One star receiver, now DK Metcalf, without complementary help.<\/p>\n

Though possessing high-end talent and highlight reel ability, Pickens\u2019 volatility on and off the field compelled Pittsburgh to cut ties. It\u2019s a familiar outcome for the franchise. Antonio Brown, Martavis Bryant, Chase Claypool, and Diontae Johnson were all talented malcontents eventually shipped out by the franchise. Pickens is the latest to join the list, dealt in the final year of his rookie contract.<\/p>\n

Drafted by the Steelers in the second round of the 2022 NFL Draft, Pickens immediately wow\u2019d with his rare ability to make contested catches outside his frame. With elite tracking and body control, Pickens caught 52 passes for 801 yards and four touchdowns as a rookie. Highlights included a sensational early-season sideline snag against the Cleveland Browns and the game-winning score to beat the Las Vegas Raiders on Christmas Eve, the night Franco Harris had his No. 32 jersey retired days after his death.<\/p>\n

Improving his route running and becoming an even bigger focal point of the offense in 2023, Pickens notched his first 1,000 yard season. He caught 63 passes for 1,140 yards and five touchdowns, becoming the first Steelers\u2019 receiver since Mike Wallace in 2009 to lead the NFL in yards per reception.<\/p>\n

A hamstring injury hampered his 2024 production, finishing with 59 receptions, 900 yards, and a career-low three touchdowns.<\/p>\n

For his three-year Steelers\u2019 career, Pickens caught 174 passes for 2,841 yards and 12 touchdowns. He also rushed for one score.<\/p>\n

Talent was never in question. Pickens\u2019 problems were everything else. Repeatedly frustrated on the field, he took unnecessary penalties and often let his emotions get the best of him. There were multiple instances of teammates having to console and calm him down along the sideline. Few racked up fines at the rate George Pickens did. In 2023, he reportedly racked up over $200,000 in fines from the league and the team. In 2024, his fines totaled well north of $50,000 and likely far higher if the team\u2019s internal fines were known.<\/p>\n

Reportedly, he showed up late to the Steelers\u2019 Christmas Day game against the Kansas City Chiefs, a story Mike Tomlin did not deny when asked. Further reporting indicated Pickens\u2019 tardiness was common and well-known among teammates.<\/p>\n

Art Rooney II\u2019s tepid comments combined with Pittsburgh trading for WR DK Metcalf signaled Pickens wouldn\u2019t see a contract beyond his rookie deal. The Steelers could\u2019ve opted to hang onto him for 2025 to form an impressive duo with Metcalf, letting him walk and sign elsewhere in 2026 with the hopes of recouping a 2027 compensatory pick.<\/p>\n

Instead, the Steelers will receive an immediate draft pick return. Their mission will be replacing George Pickens as a starting receiver, potentially creating the same pitfall as a year ago when Pickens was the lone targeted schemed away by opposing defense\u2019s.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The Pittsburgh Steelers have traded away talented but troubled wide receiver George Pickens, according to multiple new reports.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":46676,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-46674","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-nfl"],"yoast_head":"\nBreaking: Steelers Finalizing Trade To Send WR George Pickens To Cowboys - 24\/7 News America<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/?p=46674\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Breaking: Steelers Finalizing Trade To Send WR George Pickens To Cowboys - 24\/7 News America\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"The Pittsburgh Steelers have traded away talented but troubled wide receiver George Pickens, according to multiple new reports.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/?p=46674\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"24\/7 News America\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2025-05-07T11:26:50+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Capture.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"561\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"756\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Admin\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Admin\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"3 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/?p=46674\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/?p=46674\",\"name\":\"Breaking: Steelers Finalizing Trade To Send WR George Pickens To Cowboys - 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