Good news for George Pickens: he’s on the move.
The Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver who seemed VERY UNHAPPY with the franchise last season is now reportedly going to the Dallas Cowboys, with draft picks coming back.
One team that needed WR2 help desperately gets it, although the other team didn’t exactly have the most deep of wide receiver rooms. Still, it’s a swap that makes some sense for both sides.
GEORGE PICKENS TRADE FALLOUT: Breaking down the Cowboys and Steelers depth charts
With that in mind, let’s dive into trade grades for each side, although let’s be clear that the trade technically isn’t officially official, so we may update this if there’s a change in the compensation for Pickens.
Let’s dive in:
George Pickens trade details for the Cowboys and Steelers
COWBOYS GET: WR George Pickens
STEELERS GET: A third-round pick and “a late-round pick swap”
Dallas Cowboys
Before Wednesday morning, their wide receiver depth chart was: CeeDee Lamb (who seemed happy with the trade), Jalen Tolbert, KaVontae Turpin and Jonathan Mingo. Tight end Jake Ferguson is in the receiving mix, of course.
So it was clear they needed another wideout. They got one, but … is Pickens really going to be happier in the Cowboys’ offense? Lamb is at the center of it all, and Dak Prescott hasn’t exactly been the healthiest or the best at the position. Still, it might be worth a gamble to see if a change in scenery helps Pickens.
The compensation might feel like a lot for an unhappy player, but this is a receiver who had 800-plus yards in each of the past three seasons.
GRADE: B+
Pittsburgh Steelers
It was clear Pickens very much disliked playing in Pittsburgh. So it wasn’t exactly going to be a blockbuster for the receiver. They got what may be a decent haul back — a third-round pick can be a great player — but the questions now swirl about the lack of receivers behind DK Metcalf. Is Calvin Austin III really going to step up? Can Pat Freiermuth do more? Also … who’s throwing them the ball?
GRADE: B
This article originally appeared on For The Win: George Pickens trade grades for Cowboys and Steelers