George Pickens has been mentioned as a potential trade candidate since the Pittsburgh Steelers acquired D.K. Metcalf earlier this offseason, but it sounds like the team is leaning toward keeping both star wide receivers on the roster.
With the NFL Draft having come and gone, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler said on “NFL Live” Friday that the buzz regarding a possible Pickens trade has “cooled” in recent days. Pickens is said to have thought about asking for a trade at one point, but he has since changed his mind.
“Trade talks or any sort of buzz around that has cooled,” Fowler said, via Joe Clark of Steelers Depot. “There was a little bit of smoke out of the draft, but I was told that Pickens, in the end, wants to be in Pittsburgh. (He) sort of flirted with a trade request, but in the end loves Mike Tomlin, wants to be a part of things. From the Steelers’ perspective, they want to keep all their arsenal intact because of the quarterback situation.”
The Steelers seemed to gauge interest in Pickens ahead of the draft, but they were never close to dealing the former Georgia star.
Pickens is entering the fourth and final year of his rookie deal. He has struggled to find consistently over the first three years of his career but still finished with 59 catches for 900 yards and 3 touchdowns last season. He had 1,140 yards and 5 touchdowns on 63 receptions the year before.
There have been reports that Pickens does not always follow team rules, which has been an issue for him. Tomlin openly called out Pickens last season over some of the wide receiver’s behavior, but apparently the relationship between the two is in a solid place.
The Steelers still have not gotten an answer from Aaron Rodgers, and Mason Rudolph is currently in line to start for them. Though, the team seems to know which way Rodgers is leaning.
Tomlin wants to win now, and the Steelers have a chance to be much better on offense next season if they sign Rodgers and keep Pickens. If Pickens can remain focused, he and Metcalf have the potential to become one of the best wide receiver duos in football.
