George Pickens is now officially a Dallas Cowboy. And with that move, one of the NFL’s most talented and polarizing receivers gets a fresh start. The trade, finalized earlier this week, sends Pickens and a 2027 sixth-round pick to Dallas in exchange for a 2026 third-rounder and a 2027 fifth-round pick from the Cowboys. Simply put, a high-upside player moves to one of the league’s biggest stages while a franchise that hasn’t won a playoff game since 2016 lets another playmaker walk.
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And for some analysts, Mike Tomlin & Co.’s decision to let go of Pickens isn’t due to the player alone. It also had to do with the Steelers not figuring out how to use him.
Mike Florio, speaking after the deal was finalized, didn’t mince words about where the Steelers fell short in this regard. “So much of what’s happened to George Pickens is a product of where he landed in his first NFL stop,” Florio said. “He’s supremely talented.”
The veteran analyst wasn’t talking about empty potential either. He compared elements of Pickens’ game to none other than Randy Moss, not overall career output, but the raw flashes: gravity-defying catches, freakish body control, and ability to win deep even when he’s covered. “There is a tremendous gap between George Pickens and Randy Moss,” Florio clarified. “But I’ve seen in Pickens qualities that put him in the Moss potential.”
The traits are there. But the production? It’s been solid, though, yet to explode. For instance, in 2023, Pickens put up 1,140 yards and 5 touchdowns despite inconsistent quarterback play. Over three seasons in Pittsburgh, he showed he could be a problem for defenses, especially when the ball came his way.
“Even when he’s not open — he’s open,” Florio said. “But if you’re on a team that doesn’t have a quarterback who can get you the ball regularly… that’s a problem.”
The NBC analyst also pointed to a lack of intentional design, i.e., no true effort to build the offense around George Pickens, with no early-game involvement to keep him engaged.
Then, who won this trade? On paper, it’s a risk for Dallas. George Pickens is heading into a contract year, and if things go sideways, either on the field or off, they will have wasted draft capital on a one-year rental. But the upside is massive.
Dak Prescott is coming off a tough 2024 but was the league’s MVP runner-up in 2023. CeeDee Lamb is still the WR1, but adding Pickens gives the Cowboys a legit vertical threat and, most importantly, a receiver who demands safety attention. That spacing could open everything back up.
Meanwhile, the Steelers hope rookie RB Kaleb Johnson quickly establishes himself as a focal point. With Mason Rudolph (or potentially Aaron Rodgers) under center and no proven WR1, Pittsburgh’s offense could feel even more limited than before.
And let’s be real — trading a 24-year-old deep threat with 1,000-yard upside for a future third and fifth feels more like damage control than a strategic move. Hence, Mike Florio summed it up best:
“He’s highly talented, but I never felt like the Steelers fully embraced and cultivated the talents that he had.”
Now it’s up to Dallas to do what Pittsburgh did not — commit to him, build around him, and trust in his potential. Can the Cowboys do what the Steelers couldn’t? In a few months, we will find out.
