New England Patriots - NESN.com
A standout wide receiver is expected to be traded this week, and the New England Patriots again weren’t involved in the deal.
According to multiple reports, the Pittsburgh Steelers are finalizing a George Pickens trade with the Cowboys in exchange for a third-round pick and a Day 3 pick swap.
Patriots fans immediately wondered Wednesday morning why New England didn’t jump in on that deal. Why would it?
Pickens enters this season in the final year of his contract. The 24-year-old was the subject of trade rumors because the Steelers might not be able to re-sign the wideout along with T.J. Watt. That means not only are you trading a third-round pick, but you also need to re-sign Pickens. Yes, the Patriots have plenty of cap space to get a deal done, but it’s questionable if the fourth-year receiver is worth the investment.
The biggest red flag is Pickens’ personality. Head coach Mike Tomlin tried to manage it, but it’s crept up to where it’s hurt the wide receiver and Pittsburgh on the field. You might use Stefon Diggs as a retort, but often the veteran’s antics are restricted to off the field. More importantly, Diggs’ work ethic never has been questioned. On the other hand, there have been multiple questions regarding Pickens’ work ethic.
There are also questions regarding production. Pickens only caught 59 of 103 targets last season. His best season was in 2023, but he only caught 63 of his 106 targets. The Steelers’ quarterback play was subpar, but Pickens’ drops didn’t help matters. And the way he handled his lack of production wouldn’t be ideal for Drake Maye and the rest of the wide receiver room.
Pickens is still very young, and things could change. However, one of Mike Vrabel’s primary goals was to get rid of the “entitlement” that plagued the Patriots locker room last season. Pickens has yet to show his willingness to do that. In contrast, Diggs accepted a lesser role with the Houston Texans to allow Nico Collins and Tank Dell to shine.
Ja’Lynn Polk and Javon Baker still have questions around them, and Kyle Williams needs to show his worth on the field. But the Patriots would be better off trying to develop what they have from players they drafted, rather than make a desperate attempt to revitalize a high-risk option.
