Tag: George Pickens

Former Steelers trade target could be back on the market

The Steelers might have another shot to trade for Deebo Samuel.

According to NFL Network reporter Ian Rapoport, the San Francisco 49ers are going to try to trade wide receiver Deebo Samuel this offseason. Last season Samuel was rumored to be a player the Pittsburgh Steelers were interested in so they should once again be one of the teams to reach out.

Samuel is in the final year of his contract and has a 2025 cap hit of $15.896 million. This is a bargain compared to the top wide receiver contracts in the league but Samuel has never really established himself as a true No. 1 receiver.

Nevertheless, Samuel paired up with George Pickens would be a dynamic tandem as Samuel excels at working inside and can take advantage of the coverage Pickens draws downfield.

Pittsburgh should have multiple options if they want to upgrade the wide receiver position via trade. In addition to Samuel, the Los Angeles Rams are going to try to trade Cooper Kupp in the offseason as well.

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If Steelers acquire Cooper Kupp, George Pickens must go in 2025

If the Pittsburgh Steelers trade for Cooper Kupp, they may need to move on from George Pickens in 2025 due to growing character concerns.

If the Pittsburgh Steelers are able to pull off a trade for Rams WR Cooper Kupp, the Steel City should seriously consider trading away WR George Pickens.

Pickens’ attitude and maturity were consistently in the headlines for the wrong reasons throughout the 2024 season. From hiding in an equipment room to avoid media responsibilities to displaying profane messages on his mouthguard, as well as being late to an important Week 17 matchup against the Chiefs—and much more—Pickens’ negatives far outweigh his positives.

Kupp is the literal antithesis of Pickens—humble, hard-working, and a great teammate—while Pickens can be described as braggadocious, lacking punctuality, and putting his emotions over the team’s desire to win.

Pickens’ contract will expire at the end of the 2025 season, and if the Pittsburgh Steelers are hesitant to re-sign him due to character concerns, trading him seems like a no-brainer.

However, with Calvin Austin III being the next man up in the receiver room, it’s no wonder Pickens still remains in Pittsburgh. But acquiring Kupp could jumpstart the trade process, helping the Steelers avoid another Diontae Johnson mistake.

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2025 Free Agency: Can Steelers afford Tee Higgins’ massive payday?

The Steelers may be interested in Tee Higgins, but his price tag could force them to consider a cheaper alternative.

The Pittsburgh Steelers find themselves once again in search of receiver help heading into 2025. Bengals WR  Tee Higgins, arguably the biggest free-agent wide receiver this offseason, has been tied to the Black and Gold as of late. However, he may prove too expensive for the Steelers’ taste.

According to ESPN insider Jeremy Fowler, Higgins is expected to break the $30 million per year mark. Fowler noted that he has heard discussions of Higgins’ contract being lower—closer to Philadelphia Eagles WR DeVonta Smith’s $25 million per year—but ultimately, more team personnel believe it will be much higher:

“The rest saw him breaking into the $30 million range, based on his status as a No. 1-caliber receiver and the number of teams desperate for pass-catching help.”

This could prove troublesome for the rest of the Pittsburgh Steelers’ roster, with T.J. Watt, George Pickens, and DeShon Elliott set to hit free agency in 2026—all of whom could command massive contracts in their own right.

Should the Pittsburgh Steelers settle for a cheaper veteran option, such as WR Amari Cooper, or is Higgins’ talent too great to pass up in 2025 free agency?

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Steelers may have found their next franchise WR in 2025 Senior Bowl

Jack Bech made a strong case for the Pittsburgh Steelers after his standout performance in the 2025 Senior Bowl.

One of the biggest question marks heading into the 2025 offseason for the Pittsburgh Steelers is how to fix their wide receiver woes. The team failed to find production from their wide receivers not named George Pickens—and his future with the Steelers remains uncertain as trade speculation swirls.

With that in mind, the team will either need to hit a home run in the 2025 NFL Draft or sign a big-name free agent in the coming months—and the Steelers may have just found a solution tied to the former.

WR Jack Bech out of TCU was considered one of the better Day 2 or Day 3 receivers in this year’s draft class, and his performance in the 2025 Senior Bowl should have Steelers scouts foaming at the mouth.

Bech finished the day with six catches for 68 yards and a game-winning touchdown, ultimately being named the 2025 Senior Bowl MVP.

If the TCU receiver is available when the Steelers make their second-round selection in the 2025 NFL Draft, GM Omar Khan and HC Mike Tomlin will have the easiest decision in the world—bring Bech to the Steel City.

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Steelers history suggests Roman Wilson is primed for a 2025 breakout

The Pittsburgh Steelers have a history of second-year receivers taking a big leap, and Roman Wilson could be the next breakout WR in 2025.

No one will argue with the Pittsburgh Steelers‘ ability to draft quality receivers outside of the first round of the NFL Draft—and that includes the evidence to the contrary with Roman Wilson’s disappearing act in 2024.

Arguably, much of the blame could be put on head coach Mike Tomlin for Wilson’s lack of success during his rookie season, but looking back at former Steelers receivers helps shed light on what’s in store for the young receiver.

Plaxico Burress, Santonio Holmes, JuJu Smith-Schuster, Antonio Brown, and George Pickens all had breakout years with the Steelers during their second season as starters.

Even former Steelers receiver James Washington, who struggled to live up to his second-round draft selection back in 2018, had his best season in the NFL during his second year donning the Black and Gold.

This trend, where Steelers rookie receivers take time to acclimate to the speed of the NFL, has worked in the past, and fans should expect big things from Wilson as the team looks ahead to the 2025 offseason.

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Steelers should trade George Pickens for Jets star Garrett Wilson

If the Jets decide to move on from Garrett Wilson, the Steelers should trade George Pickens for him while they still have leverage.

The Pittsburgh Steelers are no strangers to trade rumors and disappointment—thanks to the speculation surrounding Brandon Aiyuk, Davante Adams, Cooper Kupp, D.K. Metcalf, and just about any big-name receiver during the 2024 season. However, GM Omar Khan has a real shot at landing New York Jets superstar WR Garrett Wilson—and he should give them an offer they can’t refuse.

Wilson has been involved in trade rumors galore as of late, and if the Jets do decide to part ways with their best receiver in hopes of rebuilding their roster, the Steelers should send George Pickens and potentially a Day 3 draft selection as compensation.

Contrary to what many Pickens supporters may argue, Wilson is a better receiver—and carries far less baggage. Getting the Jets to agree to a trade may be more difficult than talking Pickens into an extension, but the Steelers need to trade him before he hurts his value any further.

Pickens’ 2024 season showed the Pittsburgh Steelers all they needed to see, and the team would be wise to utilize his trade value to strike while the iron is hot regarding Wilson.

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Steelers owner doubtful about George Pickens’ future in Pittsburgh

Judging Pittsburgh Steelers owner Art Rooney II comments about George Pickens, it’s likely he’ll play on an expiring contract in 2025.

George Pickens will likely be playing on an expiring contract in the 2025 season. While there’s still plenty of time, the Pittsburgh Steelers have not yet discussed extending the contract he signed as the No. 52 pick in the 2022 NFL draft.

Speaking to Pittsburgh media in a 2024 season wrap press conference, Steelers owner Art Rooney II had this to say about their star receiver (via Bob Labriola of Steelers.com):

I still think George has enough talent that we’ve got to try to work and see if we can get him to fulfill the talent that he really has

Who knows if we can get there? We’ll see. But when you have guys who are as talented as some of the guys you’re probably thinking of, you try to work with them and have them help you be successful.

Historically, the Steelers get something done with players ahead of their final season. Rooney was hopeful they’d extend T.J. Watt, but it didn’t sound as promising with Pickens.

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Trading George Pickens is easier than keeping him around

The Steelers shouldn’t get too caught up in the George Pickens drama.

This offseason, the Pittsburgh Steelers have to make a very serious decision about what to do with wide receiver George Pickens. Despite flashes of elite skills on the field, there is so much baggage that comes along with him, he gives serious Antonio Brown deja vu.

Former Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger broke down the options the Steelers have with Pickens and it’s pretty clear it would be better to trade Pickens now rather than drag all of this out any further.

“You either sign him to a long-term deal and give him a bunch of money,” Roethlisberger said. “You let him play this year—you franchise him—then he’s gone, so you have two years with him. You trade him, because right now is the only time that he’s worth anything. Next year he’s on his last deal anyway,”

Roethlisberger also points out that if you trade away your No. 1 receiver, you don’t have a guy to replace him. In fact, according to Roethlisberger, if you trade away Pickens, you don’t have a No. 1 or a No. 2 receiver, which is absolutely accurate. But between free agency and the 2025 NFL draft, you have to think the Steelers can cobble together a group better than what they had in 2024.

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Steelers might be wise to skip the NFL draft for a new wide receiver

The Steelers have struggled drafting wide receivers recently.

There was a time when the Pittsburgh Steelers had built a reputation for their ability to draft wide receivers and turn them into stars. That always felt a little hyperbolic and recent history has told a very different story.

Here are the last seven wide receivers selected by the Steelers in the NFL draft.

2024 – Roman Wilson

2022 – George Pickens

2022 – Calvin Austin III

2020 – Chase Claypool

2019 – Diontae Johnson

2018 – James Washington

2017 – JuJu Smith-Schuster

That list isn’t exactly a ringing endorsement of the front office’s ability to scout and select receivers who can be productive, not cause problems and actually stick with the team.

Wide receiver is the team’s top roster need going into the offseason if you exclude the quarterback position that is still up in the air. The first instinct is for the Steelers to look to the draft once again for help.

But it might be wise if the Steelers look for a player who is more established, even if it means opening up their checkbook and paying big money to a guy like Tee Higgins or Chris Godwin.

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George Pickens wins award despite Steelers Wild-Card loss to Ravens

Steelers WR George Pickens made headlines for the right reasons this time, earning the NFL Way to Play Award for his Wild-Card performance.

George Pickens has made headlines for all the wrong reasons in 2024, but this time is different, as the Pittsburgh Steelers receiver has won an award for his performance against the Baltimore Ravens in the Wild-Card round of the playoffs.

Pickens has won the NFL Way to Play Award for his 36-yard touchdown in the Pittsburgh Steelers’ losing effort this past Wild-Card weekend.

The NFL Way to Play Award is given to the top player of the week who exemplifies outstanding playing technique, and Pickens certainly showcased that as he caught an incredible touchdown despite being double covered.

One of the greatest perks of winning the award is that the recipient receives a $5,000 USA Football equipment grant to donate to any youth or high school football program of their choice.

Although Pickens has a lot of growing up to do, he is no stranger to making elite plays on a routine basis. The Pittsburgh Steelers undoubtedly have a huge decision to make regarding his future with the organization, but congratulations are in order for Pickens on being selected for the award.

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