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Much has been said about the trade finalized by the Pittsburgh Steelers that solidified George Pickens' arrival to the Dallas Cowboys, where, in exchange, they gave up a third-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft and a fifth-round pick in 2027 for the wide receiver.
But there's also been discussion about the WR's attitude and the reluctance of several teams to take a chance on him, as for many, he was a "problem" they didn't want to deal with.
Las Vegas Raiders and Tom Brady dodged this situation
After acquiring significant talent through the 2025 NFL Draft, the team where Tom Brady is a minority investor chose not to pursue George Pickens, leaving the path clear for him to the Dallas Cowboys.
Before the arrival of the rookies, the only reliable receivers the Raiders had were Brock Bowers and Jakobi Meyers, so John Spytek and Pete Carroll did a commendable job addressing the team's offensive shortcomings.
From a "what if" perspective, Pickens would have been the most physically gifted receiver in this regard had the Raiders tried to bring him in. However, both the organization (like others) and Tom Brady, advising on roster moves, believed there were reasons why the Steelers let him go, and in Las Vegas, they were wise not to pursue him.
George Pickens' talent is undeniable. Despite missing some games due to injury in 2024, he finished the season with 59 receptions, 900 yards, and three touchdowns, with only one fumble. His longest reception was 44 yards. However, as impressive as he can be at times, there are clear reasons why the Steelers accepted so little in return for the trade.
It's no secret that the primary reason for his departure from the Steelers was his character issues, along with his inconsistency on the field.
The best move for the Raiders was to on him, as they weren't prepared to take on the challenge of managing this player, if necessary, especially during their rebuilding phase where they can't afford such distractions.
They aim to be competitive from day one, and while Pickens is a talented receiver, they opted for young talent instead.