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The NFL often goes silent for weeks following the draft. However, a handful of teams are still making moves weeks after the 2025 NFL Draft. The Cowboys and Steelers shocked the NFL on Wednesday with a surprising trade involving WR George Pickens.
There was some smoke surrounding a potential Pickens trade coming out of the draft. In that sense, this move may not be a huge surprise for Steelers fans.
It may not be a huge shock for Cowboys fans either. The Cowboys were named as one of the teams who talked with the Steelers about a Pickens trade around draft time. It is interesting to look back on those reports in a new light, knowing that the Cowboys were serious about acquiring Pickens.
Dallas did not add a single receiver during the draft, which left it as a huge area of need heading into training camp. Adding a guy like Pickens is a big swing that has a chance of paying off.
But let's not get too ahead of ourselves.
Let's outline the official trade terms before we get into any analysis.
Cowboys receive:
- WR George Pickens
- 2027 sixth-round pick
Steelers receive:
- 2026 third-round pick
- 2027 fifth-round pick
Which team came out on top of this trade? Or was it a bad move by both sides?
Below we will assign grades to both the Cowboys and Steelers after Wednesday's surprising George Pickens trade.
What are the Cowboys getting in WR George Pickens?
This is a fascinating move by the Cowboys to put it mildly.
There is no question that Dallas needed more juice on offense. Prior to this trade, Dak Prescott's top offensive weapons were CeeDee Lamb, Jake Ferguson, Javonte Williams (?), and a host of questionable backup players.
In that sense, the Cowboys were right on the money to make a big addition. Adding a talent like Pickens is a big swing that has a chance of really working for the team, at least in 2025.
Pickens had his best season in 2023. He hauled in 63 receptions for 1,140 yards and five touchdowns. He managed this production with much worse quarterback play than he'll receive from Prescott, and without an alpha wide receiver drawing primary coverage.
You don't have to think through this move for too long to understand why the Cowboys made it happen.
However, my biggest question about this trade for the Cowboys is whether this is a one-year rental or a long-term commitment?
Pickens is on the final year of his current contract.
He will only have a $3.66 million cap hit in 2025, but that could skyrocket in 2026. In fact, Spotrac estimates that Pickens has a market value of roughly $25 million per season.
The Cowboys are not exactly in a great position to pay Pickens either. If they don't pay him, somebody else will during free agency.
Dallas currently has $34 million in cap space, which dips down to $10 million for the 2026 season. It only goes up to $92 million in 2027.
The Cowboys already plan to extend superstar linebacker Micah Parsons at some point over the next year. They will already need to make some concessions to afford him. It is almost impossible to imagine the Cowboys finding enough cap space for both Parson and Pickens.
As a result, I am giving the Cowboys a harsh grade here. Pickens is an excellent addition to the squad for the 2025 season, but he's a complete question mark after that.
In my opinion, a third-round pick is too much to pay for a one-year rental for a diva wide receiver.
Grade: C+
Did the Steelers get good value out of George Pickens in this trade?
This trade looks very different for the Steelers.
Pickens became known more for his antics than his play during his three seasons in Pittsburgh. It felt inevitable that the Steelers would trade him away, or let him walk during free agency.
I have to give the Steelers credit for getting something for Pickens in a trade. He does not fit the team's timeline, especially consider he's on an expiring contract and the Steelers have no quarterback.
Getting a third-round pick back for him is excellent value in my opinion.
The Steelers also went to great lengths to make Pickens expendable moving forward. Pittsburgh spent big, trading for WR DK Metcalf earlier this offseason and handing him a huge $150 million contract extension.
Personally, I view Metcalf as an upgrade over Pickens. He can play the same role in Arthur Smith's offense and provide better production. Metcalf is expensive, but we aren't grading that trade right now.
The biggest downside to this trade is the short-term impact it has on Pittsburgh's defense in 2025.
Who will step up to play receiver next to Metcalf this season? Calvin Austin III, Roman Wilson, and Robert Woods are the main contenders heading into training camp.
The Steelers know what they have in Austin and likely want to see more out of Wilson. That said, I don't think it is wise to lean too heavily on either player this season.
Ultimately the Steelers may understand that the 2025 season will be painful. If the organization truly has its eyes set on the future, then this trade makes even more sense to me.
Grade: B+
