Why the Pittsburgh Steelers Could Trade George Pickens During the 2025 NFL Draft

Why the Pittsburgh Steelers could elect to trade George Pickens during the 2025 NFL draft.

Dec 25, 2024; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver George Pickens (14) reacts after a first down against the Kansas City Chiefs during the second quarter at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images | Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

Why the Pittsburgh Steelers could elect to trade George Pickens during the 2025 NFL draft.

Leading into the 2025 NFL draft, rumors started to leak out that the Pittsburgh Steelers could elect to trade wide receiver George Pickens over the weekend. On top of that, the Green Bay Packers have been listed as a team that could be interested. But why would the Steelers trade their star player?

First and foremost, the Steelers could move up in the draft order and would certainly gain more picks in the process. The Steelers currently hold the 21st overall pick in this year's draft. It could also be in a situation in which another team wants to move further up the board. For example, the Packers currently have the 23rd overall pick.

Another reason is that Pickens' rookie contract is set to expire at the end of this season, which will make him an unrestricted free agent. Pickens is considered to be one of the top receivers in the league and he will likely be paid as such. If the Steelers don't feel like they will be the ones to sign Pickens in free agency or that they will extend him, it would be beneficial to get some value out of Pickens before he departs from the roster.

Eight wide receivers in the NFL currently make $30 million or more. That includes D.K. Metcalf, whom the Steelers acquired this offseason. It's also worth noting that Metcalf and Pickens both play the same position, so the Steelers might not feel a need to hold onto Pickens for his final season.

It's also worth noting that Metcalf is currently the only player on the roster right now who makes over $30 million, and his contract is not up until 2029. It seems unlikely that the Steelers would add another wide receiver to that list, which again, plays into the decision of possibly trading Pickens during the draft.

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