The Pittsburgh Steelers are searching for their own answers at the wide receiver position this offseason, but don't discount the possibility of a George Pickens trade. As great as Pickens has been when his head is screwed on straight, the Steelers have long put off an actual rebuild of sorts, and they don't have an answer at quarterback. Pickens is eligible for a contract extension, and it's tough to see that working out in Pittsburgh.
Enter the Green Bay Packers, which possess a solid group of wide receivers but lack a true WR1. Pickens would provide that boost and then some, which is something one of their own key contributors – Josh Jacobs – called for just after the Super Bowl.
"We've got a really young group of receivers; all can be really, really, really special," Jacobs told Milwaukee radio station 97.3 The Game. "But I think, personally, we need a guy that's proven to be a No. 1 already -- somebody we know that's going to be a little more consistent."
The Packers may not be inclined to agree with Jacobs, as they've drafted well at the position the last few years in the hopes of surrounding Jordan Love with a litany of weapons to throw the ball to. In acquiring a player like Pickens (or another top-tier wide receiver), they'd be forced to fork over draft capital AND money, as many of the wide receivers available are in need of a new contract.
A trade package to send George Pickens to the Green Bay Packers
For the sake of this exercise, though, let's say the Packers were interested. Pickens won't come cheap. He's young and a controllable asset the Steelers have under contract for at least the next season, in which they intend to contend. Here's what a trade might look like.
Two draft picks, including a second rounder, would be enough to get this conversation started. Again, this is all contingent on the Packers seeing the value in adding a player like Pickens, and wanting to pay him prior to next offseason. That is a huge 'what if'.
Pickens himself can be described the same way. For the right team with the right quarterback, he could be an asset. In Pittsburgh, he's been forced to catch passes from a rotating group of subpar options in Kenny Pickett, Mason Rudolph, Justin Fields and Russell Wilson. To his credit, Pickens has made the most of it.
The Packers aren't a team that willingly gives up draft picks often, and the Steelers rarely trade away young talent under contract, especially at a position of weakness. However, if Omar Khan can see the forest through the trees, this could be their best option for both teams.