George Pickens (Credit: Imagn Images)
A blockbuster NFL Draft day trade proposal has the Pittsburgh Steelers moving wide receiver George Pickens to a surprise NFC team that would shake up the entire weekend in Green Bay.
The Steelers already pulled off one big-time wide receiver trade by acquiring D.K. Metcalf from the Seattle Seahawks last month. Metcalf then signed a four-year extension worth $132 million, asserting him as the No. 1 receiver in Steel City over the long run.
George Pickens hasn’t publicly requested a trade, but his attitude and antics have become problematic for the Steelers. With the 2022 second-round pick heading into his contract year, this is the ideal time for GM Omar Khan to trade his No. 2 receiver.
ESPN’s Bill Barnwell published his annual list where he proposes one blockbuster trade for every first-round selection in the upcoming draft. In one proposal, Barnwell has the Steelers trading Pickens and the No. 21 pick to the Arizona Cardinals for the No. 16 and No. 115 picks and wide receiver Michael Wilson:
“Pickens is set to be a free agent next season, so this deal would lock in a meaningful return versus letting him walk. Moving up five spots and landing a fourth-rounder might not feel like much, but that amounts to the No. 72 pick in a typical draft, which seems fair for a player with Pickens’ downside and upside. The Steelers would also get two years of cost-controlled performance from Wilson, who has the size to take over in Pickens’ sideline role.
Trading for Pickens wouldn’t be an enormous risk for Arizona, which would still be in position to address its defense at No. 21. It also could recoup a compensatory pick if Pickens leaves in free agency after the season.”
An iconic Draft moment from George Pickens 😂
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The Cardinals finished 8-9 in 2024 with a healthy Kyler Murray, hanging around in the playoff race before a late-season meltdown. Tight end Trey McBridge had a breakout season, and promising rookie Marvin Harrison Jr. flashed his potential with 62 catches for 885 yards and eight touchdowns.
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Wide receiver isn’t a pressing need, but you can never have too many weapons in today’s pass-happy NFL. And George Pickens would be a quality second or third option for Murray in the passing game.
George Pickens Had An Inconsistent 2024 Season
George Pickens (Photo by Justin K. Aller/Getty Images)
Pickens set career bests across the board in 2023 with 63 receptions for 1,140 yards and five touchdowns. But his up-and-down production prevented him from cementing himself as an All-Pro talent in 2024, with Pickens catching 59 passes for just 900 yards and three touchdowns.
Aaron Rodgers Reportedly Wants To Play For One NFL Team, And It’s Not The Pittsburgh Steelers
Aaron Rodgers (Credit: Mark Smith-Imagn Images)
The Pittsburgh Steelers are presumably the heavy front-runners to sign free agent quarterback Aaron Rodgers, but the four-time MVP is reportedly hoping to land elsewhere.
Pittsburgh and the New York Giants visited Rodgers and appeared to be the two finalists for his services. But the Giants essentially took themselves out of the running when they signed Jameis Winston and Russell Wilson just days apart.
There have also been conflicting reports about Rodgers following Brett Favre’s footsteps by joining the Minnesota Vikings, following a brief stint with the New York Jets that was preceded by an illustrious run with the Green Bay Packers.
Speaking on the latest episode of the “Scoop City” podcast, The Athletic NFL insider Dianna Russini reports that Rodgers landing with Minnesota remains a possibility: This comes after ESPN’s Kevin Seifert reported that Rodgers told the NFC North club they’re his preferred team.
“I do think there’s a world — and I know Vikings fans don’t want to see it. Whether it’s their hate for Aaron Rodgers. Whether it’s they feel J.J.’s not getting a fair shake. Whatever the reason is for why some Vikings fans don’t want to see Aaron Rodgers, they have to come to grips — there is a world that exists, this year, where Aaron Rodgers hangs out and the Minnesota Vikings pick up the phone and they make the call. It could happen.”
Russini added that 2024 first-round pick J.J. McCarthy has not been promised the starting job for 2025. The Michigan product missed his entire rookie year recovering from a knee injury, opening the door for Sam Darnold to have a career year in Minnesota that led to a $100.5 million deal with the Seattle Seahawks.
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Aaron Rodgers was released by the New York Jets after a disastrous 2024 season that saw head coach Robert Saleh and GM Joe Douglas get fired mid-season. Rodgers still had a solid statistical season, throwing for 3,897 yards, 28 touchdowns and 11 interceptions behind one of the league’s worst offensive lines.
Vikings Should Definitely Consider Signing Aaron Rodgers
Aaron Rodgers (Kevin R. Wexler-USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)
At the end of the day, Rodgers is a four-time league MVP who showed that he can still play at a high level on one of the league’s worst teams. Now imagine if he went to a star-studded Minnesota team with Justin Jefferson, T.J. Hockenson, Jordan Addison and Aaron Jones as its main weapons.
We still don’t know what the Vikings have in McCarthy, who was considered a boom-or-bust prospect before Minny traded up for him. It doesn’t at all hurt to bring in Rodgers and try and “win now” while letting McCarthy learn behind one of the all-time greats.
