The Steelers have made several moves since trading George Pickens… do they make you feel better about the deal?
We are approaching the two-month anniversary of the Dallas Cowboys trading for George Pickens. It somehow feels even longer than that.
When it comes to trades like this we obviously won’t really know who the true winner is until Pickens has a chance to play for the Cowboys. Even then we still need to see who the third-round pick becomes for the Steelers, and what’s more is we also have to see how Pickens’ contract situation is resolved and whether he re-signs with Dallas or goes elsewhere in 2026.
This is in no way a perfect science to measure things either, but another thing we can pay attention to is the aftermath of everything involved. While the Pickens trade was the final move for the Cowboys following a rather busy offseason, it was sort of the catalyst for the Pittsburgh side of things as they have been a bit busy since.
Consider the notable things that the Steelers have done since trading Pickens to the Cowboys:
- Signed Aaron Rodgers (after months of hanging in limbo there)
- Traded for Jalen Ramsey and Jonnu Smith
- Sent Minkah Fitzpatrick to the Dolphins in the trade in question
When word broke of the Steelers trading for Ramsey there were many people lauding it. Ramsey is still a very good player, after all. But once it became public knowledge that Pittsburgh was sending Minkah Fitzpatrick to Miami in the deal, it suddenly became clear who the winner in the trade was – Miami. This was true even when factoring in the Steelers acquiring Jonnu Smith as well.
Obviously the Cowboys were not involved in Monday’s trade, but it adds to the list of things the Steelers have done since sending Pickens to them. It goes without saying that the most controversial move Pittsburgh has made all offseason was signing Aaron Rodgers, so ultimately the question is whether or not what they have done since dealing Pickens has made you feel better (assuming you didn’t feel as good as possible already).
Of course, each and every situation is different. The Steelers seemed to have issues with Pickens in terms of harmony or chemistry or whatever you want to call it. They also obviously had a need at quarterback and Aaron Rodgers is Aaron Rodgers which makes dealing with certain things worth it to some people.
All told it is hard though not to look at the Steelers and scratch your head a bit at how they feel they are bettering their team. In this sense it stands to reason that a Cowboys fan would feel better about them handing off a player like Pickens.
Who agrees?