The Pittsburgh Steelers are expected to entertain trades for George Pickens this offseason. With DK Metcalf on board and Pickens entering the final year of his contract, it feels like the opportune moment to remove a locker room headache and simplify the offensive hierarchy around Mason Rudolph (or, more than likely, Aaron Rodgers).
One of the most logical destinations for Pickens would be the Dallas Cowboys, a team in dire need of additional playmaking oomph next to CeeDee Lamb. Jerry Jones can be a bit stingy with his wallet, but Pickens is a big-time talent. He can stretch the field for Dak Prescott and take defensive attention away from Lamb, a potent combination.
That window of opportunity may close quickly, however, as Dallas is already courting another potential solution to its feeble WR room. Amari Cooper, who split last season between Cleveland and Buffalo, shares "mutual interest" in a reunion with Dallas, where he played from 2018 through 2021, per ESPN's Jeremy Fowler.
Cowboys' Amari Cooper interest could put damper on Steelers' George Pickens trade effort
Cooper is probably the best remaining free-agent wide receiver. Last season was a bit of a disappointment, but it's hard to blame him under the circumstances. He started in Cleveland, where Deshaun Watson was an absolute disaster. Then he arrived midseason in Buffalo, where other options were better-established. He still put up 297 yards and two touchdowns in eight games (four starts) next to Josh Allen.
We know the Cowboys love to exploit nostalgia. Jerry Jones passed up on an all-time RB class in free agency a year ago to reunite with Ezekiel Elliott, a decision that backfired in predictably bleak fashion. Cooper was a Pro Bowl wideout with the Cowboys in 2019, arguably his best season to date. He finished with 1,189 yards and eight touchdowns as Prescott's No. 1 target. That built-in chemistry could appeal to all parties — and push Cooper further up the priorities list than Pickens, who's a bit more of a live wire. Pickens is also more expensive.
That is not to say the Cowboys should want Cooper over Pickens, of course. For all the reports of locker room turmoil in Pittsburgh, Pickens has been immensely productive despite the restraints of a Matt Canada or Arthur Smith scheme. He led the NFL in yards per catch (18.1) in 2023 and was in similarly impressive territory a season ago, posting 15.3 yards per reception with Justin Fields and Russell Wilson under center. Pickens' ability to create down the field was an essential fire-starter for the Steelers offense. Just imagine him with a bonafide star quarterback and an actually ambitious scheme.
Cooper put up a career-high 1,250 yards with the Browns in 2023 and he's only 30, so it's not like the tank is running on empty. Factor in the presumably more affordable nature of his contract, and it's reasonable for Dallas to prefer him. That said, Pickens just carries so much more upside at 24 years old if the Cowboys are willing to spend on his second contract. That is a Jerry Jones matter, so we should expect the worse outcome to materialize.