Entering the 2025 NFL offseason, George Pickens was viewed as a potential trade candidate for several reasons. Following the Pittsburgh Steelers' trade for star wideout DK Metcalf, Pickens' future with the team hangs even more in the balance.
However, if the team decides to trade Pickens, they should not do so for any less than a third-round pick, according to Ray Fittipaldo of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. The reporter believes that is what the Steelers would receive in return for the 24-year-old if they wait until the 2026 offseason as a compensatory pick.
“They should never trade [George Pickens] for anything less than a third-round pick,” Fittipaldo said on the ‘93.7 The Fan' radio show. “No matter if they do that this spring or the fall, because George is going to sign a big contract next year if he walks in free agency, and at minimum, you're probably gonna get a third-round comp pick, right?”
Compensatory picks in the NFL are given to teams who lose more or “better” free agents than they gained the year before. While Pickens has never made a Pro Bowl roster, losing Pickens in free agency would almost certainly net a compensatory pick.
Pickens, one of the biggest head cases in the league, has not formally requested a trade but has appeared to have fallen out of favor with the team. Upon trading for Metcalf, the Steelers signed their new wideout to a massive five-year, $150 million extension.
Steelers still without quarterback ahead of 2025 NFL Draft
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With the Steelers' offseason focus still on their offense, the team remains without a quarterback one month into the new league year. Pittsburgh continues to seemingly be tied to Aaron Rodgers, but nothing has been made official. Russell Wilson, the starter in 2024, is also still available to potentially return.
Without a quarterback, the Steelers' immediate direction remains up in the air. While they have made the playoffs in four of the past five years, they have not won a postseason game since 2016. The constant state of mediocrity has caused the fan base to push for change, which Pittsburgh seems hesitant to do.
Many expect the Steelers to target a quarterback in the 2025 NFL Draft, but their positioning at No. 21 puts them in a difficult spot. No quarterbacks of the incoming class are projected to land in that area, particularly with Jaxson Dart continuing to rise out of Pittsburgh's range.
If Pickens is traded, he would be the second major piece of the team's 2024 offense to depart. Running back Najee Harris signed with the Los Angeles Chargers in free agency, ending his four-year run with the team. Assuming Wilson also signs elsewhere, the Steelers will present almost an entirely new offense in 2025.
