Steelers Legend Tells Team Trade George Pickens

Tidying up the wide receiver room is near the top of the agenda for the Pittsburgh Steelers this offseason. Accomplishing that goal will involve both acquiring and parting ways with any number of players, which may include trading George Pickens as he enters the final year of his rookie contract.

In a live appearance on the Nightcap podcast from the Super Bowl on Radio Row, former Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker James Harrison told Shannon Sharpe and Chad Ochocinco that he believes the team should in fact deal Pickens.

"Just from what I'm seeing, what I'm hearing, I don't know, if it was me I would try and trade him," Harrison said.

Ochocinco didn't agree with that sentiment based solely on Pickens' talent, while Sharpe backed up Harrison and said that his "negative behavior" may prompt Pittsburgh to move on.

The 23-year-old recently put trade rumors involving his name on blast, though there's a real chance that the Steelers go out and send him elsewhere if they feel they'll net adequate value in return.

Pickens logged 59 receptions for 900 yards and three touchdowns this past season despite playing in one of the league's least productive passing offenses. There's no denying his talent, but it comes down to whether or not Pittsburgh will take the good with the bad.

The Steelers are in a tough spot, as Pickens will almost certainly seek out an extension and could hold out if he doesn't secure one. If they choose to retain him, they incur the risk of his antics continuing even after guaranteeing him a significant amount of money.

Harrison touched on that topic as well, stating that Pittsburgh shouldn't take that chance given that it could easily come back to haunt it.

"I think he's gonna want a deal," Harrison said. "He's not going to come back without a deal, you know what I'm saying. I don't see, with his current and past behavior, as an organization taking a chance and saying, 'Hey, I'm gonna give you this.'"

If the Steelers do decide to trade him, they may have to operate on an accelerated timeline to ensure they don't miss out on any of the top receivers available around the league.

The organization has a complicated decision to make, and whatever path they select will have a significant impact on how the 2025 season unfolds.

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