The Pittsburgh Steelers have traded WR George Pickens to the Dallas Cowboys. The deal was reported to be for a third-round selection in the 2026 NFL Draft and a late-round pick swap. The Cowboys’ official Twitter account reported the details of the trade, with Pickens and a 2027 sixth-round pick being sent to Dallas for a 2026 third-round pick and a 2027 fifth-round pick.
The Steelers traded for WR DK Metcalf earlier this offseason, and with Pickens entering the last year of his deal, Pittsburgh moved on for a Day 2 selection next year. The team adds an extra Day 2 pick in 2026, a draft where the Steelers are expected to have multiple compensatory selections and where the team could look to land a franchise quarterback while moving up a round in 2027 in exchange for Pickens.
It’s a trade that still undoubtedly weakens the team’s receiver room for 2025, but after acquiring Metcalf, the Steelers felt comfortable with their room. Moving on from Pickens also gets rid of a player who has been an issue at times, reportedly showing up late to the team’s Christmas Day game against the Chiefs and racking up thousands of dollars in fines from both the Steelers and the NFL for his actions since entering the league in 2022.
Dallas had previously just been offering a fourth-round pick for Pickens, per Dianna Russini, and the team came back to the table to up their offer and bolster their receiving corps. Pickens and CeeDee Lamb will now immediately form one of the best receiver duos in the league, and for a Cowboys team desperate to win, giving up a third-round pick for George Pickens, even if it’s just for one season of him, was deemed worth it.
A Day 2 selection for Pickens is a solid return, and while it doesn’t help the Steelers for 2025, getting guaranteed compensation for Pickens makes sense for 2026 and beyond. The Steelers failed to address the wide receiver position in the 2025 NFL Draft though, and their WR2 position is once again a question mark for the second year in a row.
With Metcalf signing a five-year extension after being acquired by Pittsburgh, it made it unlikely that Pickens would be in Pittsburgh beyond 2025. While Metcalf and Pickens would’ve formed an impressive wide receiver tandem, the Steelers made a move with an eye on the future and signaled that they’re comfortable with what they have behind Metcalf at receiver.
