The George Pickens era in Pittsburgh has come to an end. According to multiple reports, the Steelers are trading the wide receiver to the Dallas Cowboys.
NFL Media's Ian Rapoport reports that the Steelers are getting a third-round pick and a late-round pick swap in exchange.
Pickens' name had popped up in trade rumors around last month's NFL Draft, but nothing came to fruition at that time. Instead, the Steelers now make the move for futures two weeks later, and Pickens gets a fresh start with the Cowboys, a team in need of receiver help that bypassed the position in the draft.
Pickens had 59 catches for 900 yards and three touchdowns in 14 games last season. Originally a second-round pick in 2022, he topped 50 catches and 800 yards in all three of his seasons in Pittsburgh.
Pickens missed three games last season with a hamstring strain. On the field, he faced questions about his effort and discipline at times, including a pair of unsportsmanlike conduct penalties in Week 13 against the Bengals that prompted coach Mike Tomlin to say afterwards, "He's just got to grow up, man."
The Steelers acquired DK Metcalf from the Seattle Seahawks in March, bumping Pickens to second on the wide receiver depth chart. The duo could have potentially formed a potent 1-2 punch, but the Steelers instead decided to move on from Pickens.
In addition to Metcalf, Pittsburgh currently has nine other wide receivers on the roster, a group that includes Calvin Austin, Robert Woods, Roman Wilson, Ben Skowronek and Scotty Miller.