Best AFC 2025 NFL Draft picks
USA TODAY’s Tyler Dragon breaks down which teams in the AFC drafted the best this year.
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The Pittsburgh Steelers made a major receiver trade early in the 2025 NFL offseason when they acquired DK Metcalf from the Seattle Seahawks. Now, they are shipping out one of their top young receivers.
The Steelers sent George Pickens to the Dallas Cowboys for a package centered around a 2026 third-round pick, the Cowboys announced Wednesday.
Pickens, 24, was a second-round pick by the Steelers in the 2022 NFL Draft. He quickly developed into a starter for Pittsburgh and led the Steelers in receiving yards in each of his final two seasons with the team.
Pickens, who averaged 15.3 yards per reception for the Steelers last season, will provide Dak Prescott with a downfield weapon and a big upgrade across from CeeDee Lamb.
How did the Cowboys and Steelers fare in the Pickens trade? Here are USA TODAY Sports’ grades for the major post-draft deal.
George Pickens trade details
- Cowboys get: WR George Pickens, 2027 sixth-round pick
- Steelers get: 2026 third-round pick, 2027 fifth-round pick
George Pickens trade grades
Cowboys: B
There’s little doubt Pickens will be an upgrade for Dallas’ receiving corps. The 6-3, 200-pound receiver served as a downfield playmaker for the Steelers because of his ability to consistently win 50-50 balls. His size and physicality pair well with that of Lamb, so the duo could be an imposing pair for opposing defenses to contain.
Pickens’ detractors will note he isn’t particularly adept at separating from defenders. That said, the 24-year-old’s average separation of 2.3 yards per target last season is actually slightly better than that of Brandin Cooks, who served as Dallas’ No. 2 receiver when healthy last season. Cooks averaged 2.2 yards of separation in 10 games, good for fourth-to-last among qualified receivers, per NFL’s Next Gen Stats.
While Pickens’ skill set makes him a nice fit in Dallas, there remains risk in acquiring him. He is set to be a free agent following the 2025 NFL season, so if the Cowboys can’t sign him to an extension, he may end up being an expensive rental.
Additionally, Pickens caused the Steelers some headaches with his on-field antics. Notably, he was involved in a scuffle with Cleveland Browns cornerback Greg Newsome II on the final play of a game last season; the following week, he was called for multiple unsportsmanlike conduct penalties in a win over the Cincinnati Bengals.
The latter action prompted Mike Tomlin to say Pickens needed to “grow up in a hurry.” If Pickens doesn’t do that in Dallas, he could quickly frustrate his new team.
Steelers: C+
The Steelers trading 3Pickens isn’t shocking. There was no guarantee that Pickens, who is entering the last year of his rookie deal in 2025, would sign an extension to remain in Pittsburgh. The Steelers also acquired Metcalf in the offseason, so they still have a strong downfield threat as their top receiving weapon.
The issue with the Pickens trade is more about timing for the Steelers. Trading him after the 2025 NFL Draft prevented the team from acquiring extra draft capital it could use to acquire a replacement for Pickens. That leaves the team without a true No. 2 receiver behind Metcalf, where Calvin Austin, Robert Woods and Roman Wilson figure to compete for playing time, among others.
If the Steelers weren’t expected to be competitive in 2025, that wouldn’t be a major issue. However, Pittsburgh appears to be targeting Aaron Rodgers in free agency. Signing the 41-year-old would be an all-in type of move for the Steelers; trading Pickens, who was clearly a top-two receiver on the team, doesn’t mesh with that philosophy.
As such, it’s hard to give the Steelers too strong of a grade for this move, even if it might pay off long-term.
