A busy offseason in Pittsburgh continued Wednesday with another shakeup to the receiving corps.
Two months after the Steelers' move to acquire two-time Pro Bowler DK Metcalf, the franchise has agreed to send former second-round pick George Pickens to the Cowboys. The trade will break up the believed 1-2 punch before it even shared the field, again leaving Pittsburgh with major questions about its offense in 2025.
While Metcalf is the unquestioned No. 1 in the Steelers' receiving room, there isn't much set in stone after that. Factor in the uncertainty under center, and there may be more questions than answers with OTAs fast approaching.
📲 Follow The Sporting News on WhatsApp
Here's a look at where Pittsburgh's receiving corps stands after parting ways with Pickens.
George Pickens trade details
Cowboys receive
- WR George Pickens
- 2027 sixth-round pick
Steelers receive
- 2026 third-round pick
- 2027 fifth-round pick
MORE: What Cowboys WR room looks like after George Pickens trade
Steelers WR depth chart
| WR | Player |
| 1 | DK Metcalf |
| 2 | Calvin Austin |
| 3 | Robert Woods |
| 4 | Roman Wilson |
| 5 | Ben Skowronek |
1. DK Metcalf
Metcalf is headed into his seventh NFL season, and he's tallied at least 900 receiving yards each year he's been in the league.
Last season, Metcalf caught 66 passes for 992 yards despite missing two games. The big-bodied pass catcher tortured the NFC West for years and now looks to do the same in the rugged AFC North.
Pittsburgh's five-year, $150 million pledge to Metcalf ensures he'll be in black and gold for a while and establishes just who is No. 1 in the WR room.
MORE: How Pickens trade impacts Cowboys' cap situation
2. Calvin Austin
The uncertainty begins at WR2, but Austin has an opportunity to build upon a solid showing in 2024.
Given Pittsburgh's QB saga in 2024, some of the receiving numbers can be a bit noisy, but Austin finished the year with 36 receptions for 548 yards and four receiving touchdowns, which ranked second on the team behind TE Pat Freiermuth.
3. Robert Woods
Woods, 33, signed a one-year, $2 million contract with the Steelers this offseason.
The elder statesman is entering his 13th NFL campaign and may not have so much left in the tank. He caught 20 passes for 203 yards last season in Houston, but if nothing else, he can be a surehanded option for whoever wins Pittsburgh's starting QB job.
4. Roman Wilson
Pittsburgh used a third-round pick to select Wilson in 2024, but his rookie season was limited by injury.
Wilson appeared in one game and did not register a stat. During his final year at Michigan, Wilson caught 48 passes for 789 yards and 12 touchdowns, making him an enticing prospect moving forward. The 2025 season will effectively be a second rookie season for Wilson.
5. Ben Skowronek
Skowronek will look to embrace a bigger role in 2025. At 6-foot-3, 224 pounds, he's got a solid frame and caught five passes for 69 yards in 2024.
MORE: Every NFL team's biggest remaining offseason need
Steelers 2025 draft picks
The Steelers selected seven players in the 2025 NFL Draft but, notably, did not select a wide receiver.
Pittsburgh mainly focused on defense in this year's draft, selecting two DTs, an EDGE, a LB and a CB. The Steelers did use a third-round pick to select RB Kaleb Johnson and added to the QB room with the sixth-round selection of Ohio State's Will Howard.
- Round 1, Pick No. 21: Derrick Harmon, DT, Oregon
- Round 3, Pick No. 83: Kaleb Johnson, RB, Iowa
- Round 4, Pick No. 123: Jack Sawyer, EDGE, Ohio State
- Round 5, Pick No. 164: Yahya Black, DT, Iowa
- Round 6, Pick No. 185: Will Howard, QB, Ohio State
- Round 7, Pick No. 226: Carson Bruener, LB, Washington
- Round 7, Pick No. 229: Donte Kent, CB, Central Michigan
MORE NFL DRAFT 2025:
- Complete list of 2025 NFL Draft picks
- NFL Draft winners and losers
- NFL Draft grades for every team
- Grades for every QB pick
- Complete list of RBs drafted
- 14 best value picks, including Shedeur Sanders
- 12 worst value picks, including Tyler Shough
- Best late-round steals, including Quinn Ewers
- UDFA signings tracker
- Meet this year's 'Mr. Irrelevant'
- Grading the experts' mock drafts
- 2026 Top 50 big board