Steelers working to trade Pickens to the Cowboys

If my memory serves correctly, there were more than a few members here that were absolutely certain the Steelers weren't going to trade Pickens. Just when you think you have the Steelers front office figured out, you don't.

 

So how did we go from management supposedly saying before the draft they wanted to keep Pickens, and now end up with this minimal stuff.

What changed? Why wait till now?

 

I expect a 9-8 type season with several lucky wins like in the 2021 and 2023 season.Or maybe similar that the 2022 season when they win several meaningless to finish with a winning record

 

So many so called franchise Qb in first rd have been busts. Brady 6th rd, Purdy last pick in draft . Yeah you’re right again, no franchise qb in 3 rd.

 

A 3rd rounder for Pickens? That's horrible! He was the only exciting thing to watch on offense.

 

What the Steelers should do is call Green Bay and trade for one of their receivers, they have like 6-7 quality guys minus Watson who is injured.

 

I am guessing the fire they have been playing with at QB and lack of offensive talent finally bites them. You can't shuffle the offensive pieces every year and expect it to work every time. The defense can only carry you so far.

 

I hope you are right....

 

If he played through this season and then left, they would get a comp pick not until 2027 though.

 

I wouldn't be getting my hopes up for Wilson replacing Pickens, he will likely play slot WR more than outside.

 

So let me get this right. We are trading a superior talent that we drafted in the second round for a third round draft pick next year and making the team worse this year all the while singing an inferior talent to replace him all the while expanding the cap hit by $150 million over the next five years. My question to everyone on here that says Pickens had a poor attitude is this?

How do you think Justin Jefferson or Jamar Chase or CeeDee Lamb or Hill or Aj Brown would act on this team? Aj Brown through a fit last year on a Super Bowl contender because he isn’t getting the ball enough. I would rather have a guy on my team who is a competitor that is pissed off because he isn’t getting the ball or feels like he can help the team than some milk toast.What do the Steelers think Metcalf is gong to do attitude wise in a floundering offense? Pickens came here with a terrible QB situation and in Matt Canada’s offense.Any high pedigreed wr would go insane in that situation. It is the only position that is truly reliant on others for success. The others he was relying on completely and utterly failed him.

The kicker in all of this is we were probably going to get a 3rd round compensatory pick for Pickens anyway, just a year later. So we essentially made our team worse this year to move the 3rd pick up a year. I said when we traded for Metcalf that I only like it if we keep Pickens. I don’t like it. I think Metcalf is an inferior to receiver to Pickens. His hands aren’t as good. He was the number two in Seattle and they traded him because of his attitude. Good luck running on a stacked box again this year. Can’t wait to see how Broderick Jones and Rudolph hold up against the blitz now with Metcalf being doubled.

What’s baffling to me in all of this is Rooney and Tomlin are still delusional enough to think we can compete this year so we will be half in on the rebuild and half in on thinking we are a contender this year as a result we will still pursue Rodgers and resign Watt to probably the most expensive defensive contract in the league.

I say trade Watt now to be fair to him and truly set yourself up for a bonafide rebuild next year with additional draft capital. We won’t though ... we will be wishy washy in typical Tomlin fashion and go half in on this season and half in on the future because we have a nonlosing season record to preserve.

I will leave you with this -

We have traded away -
Brown
Holmes
Claypool
Bryant
Johnson
and now Pickens

Arguably the second most important position in the league and we can’t build an offense correctly to keep these talents happy. Is on them or is it on us? Anybody see a pattern and who is the common denominator in all of this?

 

If it’s a third plus swap picks then I’m disappointed. But remember this is the team that traded first rounder and SB MVP Santonio Holmes for a 5th. They traded a prime AB for a 5th. Traded their WR1, Johnson, for a declining CB and a 6th. Message from team to receivers is FAFO

 

I heard during the draft the Cowboys highest offer was a fourth round pick. Man it would've been nice if they drafted a receiver.

 

Exactly. They need to go after Amari Cooper at this point. Or tank and trade Watt now for draft picks. Don’t be half in on the rebuild go all the way.

 

It was in 2010 when the steelers were still great....Now they are mediocre.And they were very lucky to draft a all-time great WR in the 6th round so can't expect to be lucky with that everytime

 

Well Watt can at least do something about it.

 

What are you talking about no team was going to give up high draft picks for a headcase WR going into the last year of his contract. I don't like trading Pickens but saying they got robbed is nonsense they got two picks for him.

 

100% agree with you and what you said in bold is my biggest problem with the steelers in this decade...Always in rebuilding in half

 

Right...they both seem like fans of low character dramatic WRs that are a detriment to the team.

 

Newsflash: every team gets lucky wins during a season.