The Pittsburgh Steelers made a somewhat surprising move on Wednesday morning when the team traded wide receiver George Pickens to the Dallas Cowboys.
The trade sees the Cowboys receive Pickens and a 2027 sixth-round pick, with the Steelers getting a 2206 third-round pick and a 2027 fifth-round pick, per ESPN's Todd Archer.
The trade both is and isn't surprising. There was always a chance Pickens would get traded thanks to his entering the final year of his contract and his volatile behavior that made it tough for the Steelers to trust him with a long-term extension.
However, sending Pickens to the Cowboys also means that Pittsburgh is now short at wide receiver once again, something that was an issue all of last season.
The trade for DK Metcalf was thought to be the remedy, but now that is no longer the case and instead Pittsburgh is back in the wide receiver market.
RELATED: Steelers' best free-agent options to replace George Pickens
One has to wonder if this was a surprise to Aaron Rodgers, who the team is still waiting on. And, one also has to wonder if the trade could it hurt Pittsburgh's pursuit of Rodgers.
Well, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, it's unlikely that Rodgers will be surprised by this trade.
Rapoport points to Rodgers working out with Metcalf, and not Pickens, as a possible sign the future Hall of Famer knew this could happen, and trade rumors surrounding Pickens are another possible reason why Rodgers won't be surprised.
"There have been rumors of George Pickens being traded for weeks, and potential Steelers QB Aaron Rodgers has been throwing with DK Metcalf, not Pickens," he explained. "Hard to imagine it was a surprise to Rodgers."
From @GMFB: There have been rumors of George Pickens being traded for weeks, and potential #Steelers QB Aaron Rodgers has been throwing with DK Metcalf, not Pickens. Hard to imagine it was a surprise to Rodgers. pic.twitter.com/yeIM8ARtdJ
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) May 7, 2025
Having a far less attractive wide receivers room could hurt the Steelers' pursuit of Rodgers, but Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports that is not the case.
"The impending trade of George Pickens to the Cowboys has no bearing or impact on the possibility of Aaron Rodgers finally agreeing to a deal with the Steelers," Dulac reported.
All that said, Pittsburgh now must find a suitable replacement, whether that be via trade, free agency, or both.
Keep an eye on free agents Keenan Allen and Amari Cooper, and we wouldn't rule out a trade with the New York Jets for Rodgers' former teammate, Allen Lazard.
MORE PITTSBURGH STEELERS NEWS
Why did Steelers trade George Pickens to Cowboys?
Steelers patience paid off in George Pickens trade with Cowboys
Steelers pursuit of Aaron Rodgers could get wrecked by Pickens trade