It’s no secret that the Cowboys wanted and needed another receiver. Now, they have one, but how they and the Steelers went about it is a bit bizarre.
Reports circulated Wednesday morning that the Cowboys had traded for Steelers wide receiver George Pickens, a significant move. The Cowboys received Pickens and a 2026 sixth-round pick. The Steelers part with Pickens but receive a 2026 third-round pick and a 2027 fifth-round pick.
Again, the trade makes total sense.
The Cowboys needed another major receiving target next to CeeDee Lamb, and the Steelers had clearly had it with Pickens’ antics during games and bizarre behavior during interviews.
But why did the Steelers wait to trade Pickens? Why didn’t they do this during the draft, when they could have received as much as a 2nd round pick from the Cowboys that they could have used this year?
Or, maybe they could have worked a deal for a second-rounder from some other wide receiver-needy team like the Commanders or Packers. And even if they could only get a third-rounder and a fifth-rounder, at least they would have gotten this this year. Instead, they waited until after the draft when their bargaining position wasn’t nearly as high, and got only a modest haul for a star player. And, again, this modest haul in pics can only be used next year.
If Pittsburgh had the picks this year, they might have been able to trade back into the second round and take a QB or fill some other need. The whole thing doesn’t make a lot of sense.
As for the Cowboys, they fill a vital position of need.
However, the same concerns people had about pairing Pickens and D.K. Metcalf together in Pittsburgh remain in Dallas. CeeDee Lamb is the #1 receiver in Dallas and will be even after Pickens arrives. How will that sit with Pickens, who is used to being the #1 wideout and views himself that way? Pittsburgh has a strong coaching staff and culture, and even they couldn’t fix Pickens’ horrible attitude and immaturity.
Dallas has a rookie head coach who most people believe shouldn’t even be a head coach. A quarterback in Dak Prescott who is pretty clearly sitting on a warm seat after a massively disappointing 2024 season. Not to mention, Prescott and CeeDee Lamb have had several sideline spats over the years, and Lamb is far more tame than Pickens.
What will happen when Pickens feels like he’s not getting the ball enough? The recipe for disaster is there.
Look, on paper, this deal makes a ton of sense for Dallas. And I would predict that for the first couple of months, things will go well. However, the personalities and overall human factors don’t bode well. I would look for an unraveling by mid-November as Prescott, Lamb, and Pickens form a figurative triangle-shaped firing squad.
Pittsburgh is not a better football team this morning. They wanted to get rid of Pickens, which is fine. However, they violated the cardinal rule of NFL personnel management and did not get value in this trade. For all of his personality faults, Pickens is a phenomenal talent, and the Steelers essentially got a third-rounder and an upgraded fifth. And, if Dallas is any good next year, they will definitely be a playoff caliber team with their revamped defense; those picks aren’t going to be all that high.
Dallas is desperate. Jerry Jones is getting older and wants to win another Super Bowl. For all the potential trouble Pickens could cause in the locker room, it’s understandable. For Pittsburgh, the deal doesn’t make a lot of sense at all.