Pickens’ Bags are Packed: Where Does This Leave the Steelers?
News has emerged this week that George Pickens is being traded to the Dallas Cowboys for future draft capital, including a 3rd round pick. This concludes the rumors that have been swirling for months regarding Pickens and his future with the Pittsburgh Steelers. If I’m being honest, I was surprised at this move. It has been talked about at nauseum, but I just didn’t see how it made sense for Pittsburgh’s wide receiver room. I actually still feel that way. With the trade for DK Metcalf earlier in the offseason, I felt really good about what the Steelers had at that position. Regardless of who was playing quarterback in 2025, Metcalf and Pickens on the outside were going to make his job much easier.
Now that Pickens is gone, who will fill the role of WR2? To break this down, here is a list of remaining WRs on the current roster:
- Calvin Austin III
- Brandon Johnson
- Lance McCutcheon
- DK Metcalf
- Scotty Miller
- Ben Skowronek
- Roc Taylor
- Ke’Shawn Williams
- Roman Wilson
- Robert Woods
Looking at this list, I’m not sure there is an obvious choice to fill that WR2 role.
Calvin Austin III played snaps there in 2024. However, I personally felt that he was limited playing outside the numbers. At 5’9″, 162lb, Austin is a tiny guy and that limits him when fighting for 50-50 balls against lengthy and physical cornerbacks. With that being said, Austin could be great if he was able to play a lot of his snaps in the slot. Over the middle of the field, I feel that his quickness would give him an advantage. Playing in this role, his size wouldn’t be so much of a liability. Think a Danny Amendola/Wes Welker type role.
Scotty Miller and Ben Skowronek both played in regular season games for the Steelers last season. Historically, though, Skowronek has been better known for his role on special teams. He is known as being a hard worker and a good locker room guy, but I’m not sold that he has the athleticism to be a starting wide receiver in the NFL. I’m not saying he can’t, but he hasn’t shown that capability to this point in his career. Scotty Miller is a veteran who won a super bowl several years ago in Tampa with Tom Brady. He’s also been coached by Arthur Smith for multiple seasons. He should be familiar with Smith’s offense at this point, and he has experience. Unfortunately, Miller is another undersized guy at 5’9″, 174lb. He has found success as a player further down the depth chart, but he’s another guy I don’t feel completely confident in to be a starter.
Robert Woods is a wily veteran that was signed this offseason. Playing for several teams throughout his career, he found his greatest success as a member of the Los Angeles Rams. Unfortunately, he is 33 years old, and his role was limited last season in Houston. Despite the injury struggles faced by the Texans at wide receiver in 2024, Woods caught just 20 passes for 203 yards. He appeared in 15 games. This makes me wonder and question if Woods can still physically handle the workload of a starting wide receiver. I see him as more of a depth piece and mentor for the younger guys on the roster.
Roman Wilson, a 3rd round pick of the 2024 NFL draft out of Michigan, did not appear in any regular season games this season. He was battling some injuries early on. After he healed from his injuries, he still did not see the field. Why? This makes me question his success in transitioning to the professional game. I can’t really say what I expect from him because I haven’t seen him play yet in the NFL. Maybe the Steelers felt he needed some extra time to heal and condition following his injury. Maybe he needed a little more mentorship and patience to adjust to an NFL playbook and workload. I am hopeful that he finds the field and great success this coming season; he does have a high college pedigree coming from Michigan and being a national champion. Perhaps the Steelers are planning on him earning a starting role this season. I guess only time will tell, and I’m hesitant to say I think this is the likely outcome. I just haven’t seen enough of him to draw a confident conclusion.
This leaves Roc Taylor, an undrafted free agent out of Memphis, and some other guys who are likely depth or practice squad pieces. Never say never, as one of these players could earn their spot and surprise us all as fans. It happens. I would be ecstatic if it did, but I am not holding my breath or setting my expectations too high.
This still begs the question: who will line up opposite DK Metcalf? I look for one of three things to happen:
1.) Calvin Austin III starts for another season
2.) Roman Wilson and Robert Woods will battle for a WR2 spot
3.) The Steelers plan to sign another free agent WR or trade for someone else
If I had it my way, I would much rather see option 2 or 3 play out. I like Calvin Austin III, but I really believe he could find more success and help the team more by playing inside. I guess we will have to wait and see what the Steelers decide to do here, but there is one thing I am confident in. For the Steelers to trade Pickens at this point in the offseason, they must have a plan in place that they feel good about for their wide receiver room.
What do you all think the Steelers have in mind here? What are your thoughts on the Pickens trade? Feel free to share your thoughts below!
I vote for 3.) above, if Steelers are “all-in” for 2025. Keenan Allen and Amani Cooper are available. Cooper was just talking w/Dallas, must be annoying for him.
I would like to see them sign someone else or make another trade as well. I think it makes the most sense! Otherwise, this is a very similar situation to last year. Metcalf will attract all the attention because he is the threat and the obvious target for whoever is at QB.
> After [Roman Wilson] healed from his injuries, he still did not see the field. Why?
Timing. The timing of his injuries meant he had close to zero practice reps. No rookieâs getting a helmet after zero reps. I chalk this one up to terrible luck.
ESPN reports Steelers are happy with Wilson’s off-season work, FWIW. Catching up to CA3 w/that is encouraging.
I’m hoping he makes the most of year two and can stay healthy!
I think theyâll have CA3 start. For at least a few games. Heâs shown he can get open, and his route-running has been improving.
If Woods wins the WR2 role, thatâs a bad sign. Puts a very low ceiling on the WR room.
I think itâs unlikely they pay another large FA WR contract.
??? Kinda dumbfounded, think that really hurts for this year with Mason or Rogers.I know their loading up for next year. Could of swallowed it a little easier for a second rounder with a couple teams having 2 first rounders next year. Still hopeful for next year but some wind taken from sail.Was excited to to have him & DK for this year & go from there for the next season.
I agree with you on this. I’m scratching my head a little bit at the move only because of the depth of the WR room right now. With that said, I feel like Pittsburgh has a plan in place that we just don’t know about yet. Here’s to trusting the process.
I’m also confident they have a plan. I’m just slightly less confident that it’s a *good* plan. I’m sure they had a plan last year, too, but it didn’t come to fruition (or if that *was* the plan, then they need new planners).
I’m not torn up about Pickens, though. He had some excellent highlights, and a truly otherworldly catch radius, but he also had a lot of flaws, which seemed obvious to everyone but him.
I get it, he’s young, maybe he’ll mature and be a force in the league. But I’m not betting on it, so I’m okay with moving on now, getting *something* in return, before he poisoned the room further. And who knows, given the odd timing, perhaps there is more going on than we know.
I’m hopeful on RWilson (3rd rounder, often contributors), and I’d like to see another add: K Allen, Agholor, Cooper, Davis?
Hear Hear to trusting the process! After contemplating it all day there must have been a reason for it, Team chemistry & cohesiveness is essential for best results, no matter how talented a team. Here’s to switching tracks on a moving train.
GO STEELERS!!!
Who’s the two?? Took an entire 24 season to try to answer that very same question, now here we are again…but with a vastly more expensive WR room. My answer is he’s not on the roster, and most likely won’t be until 26. Maybe.
If an announcement is made today that they’ve signed a C.J. Bethard type guy I’ll understand far better what they’re doing.
Yes. Guys like Cooper and Allen would be inexpensive and for now. On the plus side, no reason to indulge AARod further. Really dumb if the FO did continue to do so.
Now I see a rumor of Lazard possibly to Pgh, from Florio. Good grief! At least Lazard is inexpensive. Continue AARod placation.
So the Steelers are in the exact same position that they were last year. No #2 WR.
Unfortnately,
yes.
I would argue Pickens was, at best, a WR2 last year with his maturity issues and antics. His numbers were not really WR1 numbers. Everyone are acting like we lost one of the best receivers in NFL. We lost a talented guy that may not have panned out. The NFL history is littered with talented guys that burn out and fade away and so are the steelers (Bryant, Claypool and Johnson…least we got good years from brown but he eventually flamed out)
Add Santonio Holmes to that list. Roy Jefferson, too, long ago.
I agree that Pickens is a #2 on a lot of teams. On last year’s Steeler team, though, he was the unquestioned #1.
I know it was unlikely we resigned Pickens this coming offseason. That said, I kind of just wanted to see what it looked like with Pickens and Metcalf both on the field. Would have made things a lot tougher for opposing secondaries.
Gabe Davis was just released by the Jags
He’s kind of fool’s gold with his catching, not a chain-mover, another option, though.
Out of the guys available as free agents right now, I actually like the idea of Gabe Davis. He was fairly productive in Buffalo, he’s only 26, and I think he could take some of the attention off of DK. He’s an improvement from the options currently on the roster in my opinion.
Perhaps, his catching is questionable and he’s coming off a meniscus tear. Cooper was also hurt last year, to be fair.