The Pittsburgh Steelers finally bit the bullet and traded George Pickens this week, sending the 24-year-old wideout to the Dallas Cowboys in exchange for a third-round pick and a fifth-round pick. Pickens teams up with CeeDee Lamb in what figures to be a potent Cowboys offense under new OC Klayton Adams.
Meanwhile, the Baltimore Ravens can sit back and laugh.
The Cowboys initially called the Ravens about a potential Rashod Bateman trade, but those talks died out quickly, per Bleacher Report's Jordan Schultz. In turn, Dallas poached the top playmaker from Baltimore's chief division rival.
Sources: During their pursuit of a receiver, the #Cowboys also looked into a trade for #Ravens WR Rashod Bateman. Those talks didn’t go far, and Dallas ultimately struck a post-draft deal with the #Steelers for George Pickens.
— Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) May 9, 2025
Dallas’ search for another receiver was a… pic.twitter.com/87QX5rIqcq
This could not have gone better for the Ravens. Not only did Baltimore maintain its continuity on offense, but their division rival got weaker. DK Metcalf's arrival should adequately paper over Pickens' departure, but the Steelers had a chance to really do damage with Metcalf and Pickens catching passes from (presumably) Aaron Rodgers.
Instead, Pittsburgh is back to square one with a single dominant wideout and a feeble supporting cast — not to mention ongoing questions at quarterback. Pickens is out of the division entirely, and the Ravens needn't worry about seeing him in the Super Bowl, if we're being honest. This was a home run for the Ravens, and GM Eric DeCosta didn't even lift a finger.
Steelers cut ties with George Pickens after Cowboys failed to acquire Rashod Bateman from Ravens
Bateman is coming off his most impactful season to date with the Ravens. He logged 45 receptions for 756 yards and nine touchdowns, all career highs. He averaged 16.8 yards per catch, giving Lamar Jackson another big-play threat next to the speedy Zay Flowers.
There's a reason the Cowboys took an interest in him. While Bateman, 25, does not have the same résumé as Pickens at the NFL level, he's less of a headache in the locker room. Pickens was a dark cloud hanging over the Steelers organization, albeit a very productive one. Bateman has less baggage.
That is probably why the Ravens were so bearish on a trade. Baltimore continues to reinforce and sustain depth around Jackson. The Steelers? Well, assuming it's the 41-year-old Rodgers under center, it's unclear who exactly will catch passes beyond Metcalf. Robert Woods only started four games for the last-place Tennessee Titans last season and he's currently slotted as WR2 in Pittsburgh.
The Steelers were never really a threat to Baltimore, but Mike Tomlin knows how to win games in the regular season. Pittsburgh lost four straight to end the campaign in 2024, but still finished 10-7 with a chance to unseat Baltimore in the AFC Wild Card Round. The Ravens cruised to a 28-14 victory and ended the Russell Wilson era after half a season.
Pickens' exodus was years in the making, and it's hard to fault the front office to cutting ties with such a negative aura. Still, this is an undeniable downgrade on the football field, as it hamstrings an already-mediocre Steelers offense. Rodgers, if he does come to town eventually, is not the four-time MVP of old. He will need weapons around him, which Pittsburgh can scarcely provide.
Baltimore made the right call and it led (in)directly to the downfall of a top rival. That's good for business.