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Jets Could Add Star Wide Receiver In Draft Day Trade With Steelers

Could the Jets add George Pickens in a draft day trade?
Zach Pressnell|
Jan 11, 2025; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver George Pickens (14) runs against Baltimore Ravens cornerback Brandon Stephens (21) in the fourth quarter in an AFC wild card game at M&T Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images
Jan 11, 2025; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver George Pickens (14) runs against Baltimore Ravens cornerback Brandon Stephens (21) in the fourth quarter in an AFC wild card game at M&T Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images | Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images

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The New York Jets hold the No. 7 pick in the 2025 NFL Draft and there are a few directions they could turn with this selection.

There's next to a zero percent chance that New York trades up into the top five picks, so we can effectively rule that possibility out.

The Jets could stay at No. 7 and pick a player like Tyler Warren or Armand Membou. Both of these players will fill holes in the Jets' roster at a position of need.

They could also trade down in the first round to a team looking to jump up and draft a quarterback, likely to be Shedeur Sanders. One of the teams tied to rumors like this is the Pittsburgh Steelers.

For the Steelers to trade up from pick No. 21 to pick No. 7 to draft Sanders, it would likely cost them a lot of draft capital, including their 2026 first round pick. But the Steelers and Jets could find a deal that sends wide receiver George Pickens and pick No. 21 to the Jets for pick No. 7. While this wouldn't be the entire trade, it's the framework of a deal that could make sense.

The Jets need to add another dynamic wide receiver and Pickens would be the perfect solution opposite of Garrett Wilson. The Steelers need a quarterback and this deal lands them one. It's unlikely that Pittsburgh re-signs Pickens when his contract expires, so this deal could make some sense.

The catch here is the fact that the Steelers might be a bit unwilling to move Pickens without landing another wide receiver. The Steelers added depth by trading for DK Metcalf. Dumping Pickens to draft a quarterback would be a move in the right direction, but it would destroy their wide receiver depth again.

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Zach Pressnell
ZACH PRESSNELL

Zach Pressnell has experience covering all major US sports at both the professional and collegiate levels. He’s produced content for FanSided, Blog Red Machine, The Game Haus, Bethany College Athletics and the Bethany College online newspaper, He graduated from Bethany College (WV) with a degree in Communications and Media Arts, specializing in Sports Journalism. Pressnell was also a four-year member of the baseball team where he earned himself All-PAC recognition as a pitcher (and a cool Tommy John surgery scar). Now, Pressnell specializes in NFL and MLB coverage for Sports Illustrated’s “On SI” network among others. For all business/marketing inquiries regarding "New York Jets On SI," please reach out to Scott Neville: scott@wtfsports.org

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