What did Steelers get after trading George Pickens? Exploring Dallas-Pittsburgh trade details

The Pittsburgh Steelers and Dallas Cowboys have completed the first blockbuster trade of 2025. George Pickens will join the Dallas Cowboys after spending the first three years of his professional football career in Pittsburgh.

With all the major sources reporting the news, let's explore the details behind the monumental trade.

According to ESPN, the Dallas Cowboys are parting with a 2026 third-round pick and a 2027 fifth-round pick in exchange for Pickens and a 2027 sixth-round pick. The move comes after the Cowboys elected not to select a wide receiver in the 2025 NFL draft.

However, ESPN reported that had Tetairoa McMillan been available at No. 12, Jerry Jones would have drafted him. The Carolina Panthers selected McMillan with the No. 8 pick to give Bryce Young an extra offensive weapon heading into Year 3.

This trade ends months of speculation regarding Pickens' future in Pittsburgh. He was set to enter the final year of his rookie deal, and the Cowboys will now explore the possibility of either signing him on a long-term extension or letting him play out the final year.

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Jerry Jones gets a new weapon for Dak Prescott

Dak Prescott hasn't had an elite wide receiver duo since Amari Cooper was traded to the Cleveland Browns on Mar. 16, 2022. Before then, he had Cooper and CeeDee Lamb as excellent pass-catching options.

Back then, Lamb was the WR2, but now George Pickens will assume the role. The Cowboys will now have one of the most fearsome duos in the NFC as long as both Pickens and Lamb shake off 2024 injuries.

The Cowboys are looking to make it back to the playoffs after a disappointing 2024 regular season (7-10). Dak Prescott, too, will look to come back from a season-ending hamstring injury sustained in 2024.

The Dallas Cowboys haven't won a Super Bowl since 1996. They've been a perennial postseason contender in recent years, but regularly stumble at the wild card stage.

Jerry Jones has added George Pickens to give the franchise another elite deep threat in the upcoming campaign. This addition should free up CeeDee Lamb, with the perennial Pro Bowler having gone through double teams in the 2024 campaign. However, the Cowboys will have their work cut out in a stacked NFC.