Steelers Could Get First-Round Pick for George Pickens?

PITTSBURGH -- The Pittsburgh Steelers have decisions to make this offseason, including the future of George Pickens. The wide receiver is entering the final year of his rookie contract and the team is uncertain about the direction they'll go in at wide receiver. But their return in a trade would be the biggest factor in keeping or moving on from him.

Pickens has been floated to a number of teams, and even shut down the rumors at one point this season. Recently, he's been connected to the Green Bay Packers, who could be looking for a star wideout to help for Jordan Love.

Here's the question, though: what can the Steelers get for Pickens? According to a team source, the team is open to conversations about a trade, but they aren't giving him up for nothing. How much more than "nothing" do they need before striking a deal? And can that be a first-round pick?

The answer is probably.

Last year, the Houston Texans sent a second-round pick for 30-year-old Stefon Diggs. Pickens, 23, is still on a cheap deal and offers a full career ahead of him for a team to build off of. Diggs needed a contract extensions with the Texans, but didn't receive one. Pickens likely will, adding a longer tenure, plus one year for under $5 million.

2022 was the Steelers' biggest example, though.

That offseason, the Arizona Cardinals sent the Baltimore Ravens a first-round pick for Marquise Brown. The Philadelphia Eagles sent the Tennessee Titans a first and third-round pick for A.J. Brown. And the Miami Dolphins traded a first and second-round pick to the Kansas City Chiefs for Tyreek Hill.

Pickens hasn't had the success any of these names, outside of Marquise Brown, through the first three years of his career. But he's made highlight-reel play after highlight-reel play, and has had struggling quarterbacks to work with since entering the league.

The character concerns may come into play with a trade, but NFL teams seem to believe they can always fix a player's problems. Sometimes that works out, and sometimes it doesn't. But it rarely stops a team from trading for them.

So, yes, the Steelers likely can get a first-round pick for Pickens. It may not be much more than that, and it'll likely be a later first-round selection. But if teams like the Chiefs, Packers, Los Angeles Chargers, or maybe even the Washington Commanders and Buffalo Bills may be calling.

And their offers could be enough to make the Steelers talk.

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