Steelers Keeping Ears Open For Potential George Pickens Trade

The Pittsburgh Steelers are keeping their phone lines open hours ahead of Thursday night’s 2025 NFL Draft.

Pittsburgh’s front office has been busy this offseason and most notably acquired Pro Bowl wideout DK Metcalf in a blockbuster trade with the Seattle Seahawks. That still leaves several homegrown talents, including fellow wideout George Pickens, without a contract extension approaching impending free agency next offseason. Pickens became a speculated trade target thrown to the forefront of trade rumors involving Pittsburgh, and for good reason.

Now, the latest Pickens-Steelers rumor pours gasoline all over the speculation fire.

“George Pickens is one intriguing trade name to watch,” Jordan Schultz of FOX Sports reported Thursday. “Pittsburgh has taken and made calls on the talented WR, who’s now extension-eligible. After paying Metcalf, league sources are skeptical the Steelers will pay two receivers.”

Metcalf signed a five-year, $150 million extension upon arriving in Pittsburgh, which offered Steelers fans a dream of watching the 27-year-old work alongside Pickens and posed a warranted question: Did the Steelers acquire Metcalf to make it easier to part ways with Pickens when the time for a payday comes? Pittsburgh no longer needs to worry about having a No. 1 target if the front office elects to trade Pickens, whether it’d be before the draft, after the draft, or even during the season, because the acquisition of Metcalf prepares the Steelers for that possibility.

It’s a dot-connecting theory more than anything for the time being, but executives across the league also agree that Pickens could get traded from Pittsburgh this offseason. One franchise that’s linked to the rumors: The Green Bay Packers.

“Pickens is more available than people think,” an AFC general manager said, per Schultz. “Green Bay’s been serious, and they’re not the only ones.”

The Steelers still need a clear-cut starting quarterback. Free agent Aaron Rodgers remains in incognito mode, and the team’s interest in Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders isn’t promising either since the 23-year-old isn’t expected to fall low enough for Pittsburgh — the Steelers are picking at No. 21 in the first round. It’s likely a trade would have to take place before Pittsburgh is on the clock in order for the franchise to welcome Sanders aboard.

Pickens, in the meantime, can only wait. Even though Pittsburgh has previously acknowledged its interest in re-signing the three-year veteran, Pickens unfollowed the Steelers’ official Instagram account before the draft.

“I had a really solid exit meeting with GP, and I can tell you that he has a desire to be great,” Steelers general manager Omar Khan said in February, per ESPN’s Brooke Pryor. “He has a desire to be great here. We have a desire for him to be great and to be great here, with respect to the contract.”

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