George Pickens is headed to Dallas. The Pittsburgh Steelers announced Wednesday that they’ve traded their star wide receiver and a 2027 sixth-round pick to the Cowboys, sparking celebration across Cowboys Nation.
But not everyone is sold on the move.
ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith wasted no time throwing cold water on the hype, saying the excitement around the deal will fade fast.
“I’m sure it looks good on paper as it always does… They’re gonna make headlines,” said Smith. “And you’re gonna see Dallas Cowboys fans everywhere (saying), ‘Pickens, with CeeDee Lamb, and Dak [Prescott] is back healthy. You know we’re going to the Super Bowl next year.’ They’re going to go back to teasing us into believing that they’re relevant.”
The trade had been quietly foreshadowed weeks earlier when Pittsburgh acquired DK Metcalf and signed him to a five-year, $150 million deal, signaling a changing of the guard at wide receiver.
How huge is the George Pickens trade for the Steelers and the Cowboys?
For Pittsburgh, it’s more about addition by subtraction. Head coach Mike Tomlin and GM Omar Khan reportedly viewed Pickens as a volatile presence in the locker room despite his on-field production.
The move also aligns with Pittsburgh’s rumored pursuit of Aaron Rodgers. Steelers ESPN correspondent Terrelle Pryor pointed out that Rodgers demands precision from his wideouts—something Pickens has reportedly struggled with.
“Rodgers is notorious in holding his receivers to high standards, especially in their route running, and Pickens has a history of not running the correct routes or finishing his routes. That could’ve put the quarterback at odds with one of his top offensive weapons,” Pryor said.
In Pickens’ place, NBC’s Mike Florio floated the idea of Pittsburgh reuniting Rodgers with former Packers teammate Allen Lazard. “Why Lazard? Because Rodgers completely and totally trusts him. And Lazard, for whatever reason, performs much better with Rodgers than he does without him.”
Meanwhile, in Dallas, analyst Seth Walder sees the trade as a smart move.
“Pickens is an excellent fit with Lamb, too,” Walder said. “He’s an outside vertical receiver who will allow Lamb to maintain his heavy dosage of slot alignments in the Cowboys’ offense.”
Time will tell if this move finally puts Dallas over the hump—or just adds to their long list of offseason hype.
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