BroBible
After the Pittsburgh Steelers acquired former Seattle Seahawks wide receiver DK Metcalf earlier in the offseason, it seemed like there was a good chance that the team’s top receiver the last few years, the mercurial and inconsistent George Pickens, would be traded. They didn’t trade him before or during the draft like most expected, but made a deal with the Cowboys to send Pickens to Dallas on Wednesday morning.
There are teambuilding and cap reasons as to why they made the deal that they did, sending Pickens for two draft picks, a third-rounder and a fifth-rounder. But, it also signals a team that knows they can’t win this year, and that’s causing some to speculate that franchise legend TJ Watt could be on the move.
Officially, the Steelers got a 2026 third-round and a fifth-round pick from the Cowboys for Pickens. Pickens, who has been a frequent pouter and has played with inconsistent effort despite solid production, is in the final year of his rookie deal after being a second-round pick in 2022. That means that the Steelers were going to have to pay him big money to retain him. Despite his issues, he’s a young, productive receiver, and those guys get paid on the open market. The Steelers simply didn’t want to give him a long-term deal like that, so they smartly traded him away.
As for Watt, he’s still one of the league’s best players. But, the future Hall of Famer will see his contract expire at the end of this season. This will be his age 31 season, and paying a guy who has had injury issues a huge third contract on a team that truthfully isn’t all that close to being as good as the top of the AFC is not good team building.
That’s leading people to suggest or speculate that the Steelers should look to trade him for a haul of draft picks.
One of the toughest realities the Steelers must face:
If they are finally approaching a reset – making a 31 year old TJ Watt the highest paid defensive player of all time is not in their best interest.
— Mike Nicastro (@MikedUpSports1) May 7, 2025
They aren’t gonna do it, but #Steelers could trade TJ Watt for a first & a second and just have the stage to themselves at next year’s draft.
— David Todd (@DavidMTodd) May 7, 2025
Is Tj Watt Next ?
Or will the steelers gonna pay him 40 million
Where will TJ watt play in 2025 pic.twitter.com/hOeNdai9AC
— OgnBurgh (@scottiloss) May 7, 2025
For what it’s worth, Pittsburgh wouldn’t get a first-rounder and a second-rounder for Watt, in all likelihood. Maybe last year, and certainly in years’ prior, he would have been worth that kind of package. But, given the fact that he’s on an expiring contract and his new team would have to pay him, his value is likely just...
