Pickens being traded to Dallas?

[madinsomniac]

I don’t think the story that they were trying to trade Pickens during the draft were made up and they only decided to trade him afterwards. I suspect they were disappointed with whatever offers they got and have spent the past two weeks figuring out what they could get.

A quote from Kahn his first year about a player he was trying to trade and ultimately didnt that was basically " they were trying to take advantage of me"

As well as what has followed the past two seasons made me realize that man sets an upper and lower value on guys and wont budge off of them...

He wanted a minimum of a third for Pickens, which is the maximum he could get as a comp.

The offers were fourths... it raised to a third and he took it...

Now I disagree with the timing. I dont thing NFLGMs understand trading asset value timelines because honestly, this current structure is new to them... but later trade deadlines will maximize values at the deadline...

so you have the best times to trade:
After free agency and before the draft
At the draft ( which both of these still give you the best to replace the player..aka the draft)

Then as camp injuries hit... you can see spikes

Then as rosters are set at the end of camp and teams see deficiencies

Then as injuries in the season occur or players fail to meet expectations there are spikes

Finally a late deadline gives contending teams one last chance to add at minimal cap hits. So you get premium prices if you gamble that the player produces and doesnt implode off the field and better options dont become available...


Basically the Hockey, Baseball, and Basketball templates...

 

[tapeANaspirin2it]

Pickens is a bum. He has talent but so do lots of guys who wash out of the NFL. EVen if the steelers don;t add anything else at WR, they're better. Pickens was not a WR1 because he ran half speed on far too many plays. That makes it harder for the other WRs to get open.

Metcalf may have some diva behavior at times, but that's off the field. On the field, he gives max effort even on plays where he's blocking or running a clear out for another WR to get open.

With a real #1 Metcalf, it makes the job easier for the 2 and 3 WR.

The Cowboys are crazy for making this trade. I heard they are planning him as a 1 year rental. That's insane. Good luck when Cee Dee Lamb gets 12 targets and George gets 5.

 

[tapeANaspirin2it]

The Steelers have a plan. They haven't had one in some time. I'm impressed with their discipline in sticking with it by making moves for the future and not for right now.

1. Rebuild the OL.
This should be done, for now anyway. Fautanu looked really good before he was injured and Broderick has looked good at times. The interior OL should be strong. If Fautanu is solid at RT then even if Jones is shaky at LT, you can account for that. You can help 1 struggling OL. It's when multiple guys fail that you're in trouble.

The QB and RBs will help the OL. Wilson held the ball too long and made the OL look worse. Najee was horrible at zone runs. Smith had to modify his gameplans to fit Najee. Rudolph or Rodgers will get the ball out on time. Warren, Johnson, and Gainwell are all good zone runners who will actually hit the creases that the OL provides.

2 Rebuild the DL.
This year's plan with 2 draft picks. The DL should be much improved and even have some depth to limit snaps for Heyward. Same can be said at Edge where Herbig and Russell can keep Watt and Highsmith fresh. Queen and Wilson should be better in year 2 at ILB and also with more help from the DL keeping them clean to make tackles.

3. Get your QB of the future.
It's now obvious that's the plan for 2026. The Steelers will have the draft ammo to move up if necessary to grab their 1st round QB of the future. They can even add another young WR

 

[madinsomniac]

Let me clarify....If we started 0-8 then I would start rooting for us to go 0-17...But then I said for all the Tomlin haters it would not happen cause we would win 9 in a row...

But IF WE STARTED 0-8....Hell yeah I would want us to lose out....

Yes... unless you have an absolutely generational talent available, and those are extremely rare... and you are already are fully rebuilding with a new coach and system and everything, you go into every single season trying to win...

Now by the time you are eliminated from the playoffs, well then trying to win is just stupid...

 

[madinsomniac]

Now I’m seeing Tyreek Hill rumors? Cause Pickens has behavioral problems?

Why in the absolute **** would we give up as much as Miami will want for an old midget guy who is probably as dramatic as Pickens?

 

[BlitzBurgh7]

Absolutely livid by this trade, either A could of traded him before the draft or B traded him during the season when his value would of been higher (was going to go off with DK taking the best CB, also a contender would likely be willing to trade a 2nd or more for him mid season in order to compete).

Now we are right back to having 1 good WR, this move shows me they aren't all in on this season, let's just toll with Howard & Rudolph. Aren't going to get a playoff win either way and it seems clear they want a QB in next years draft.

Might as well trade Watt instead of pay him $40 Mil a season, we are just going to waste his career.

It is time to commit to a rebuild now.

 

[Black & Gold Bleeder]

It is time to commit to a rebuild now.

I think thats what we are seeing. The team isnt bad sans a receiver and qb. I believe they will make a move on a swing tackle during or after camp.. but.

Stacking picks for 2026 while keeping the team mostly viable for this year. I feel bad for cam and TJ but it is how it is.

I still believe that mason is as good as any of the remaining free agent QB's. At least he can still move and has a nice deep ball.
I think Howard is as good as any QB taken from this draft. I really do.. i dont understand how he goes in the 6th rd. I dont make enough coin for that.

With 1 more receiver who can run routes, and another OT. Id call it the team we run with. I barely have faith in our current OT's ... I know for damn sure we need another Tackle besides
calvin Anderson.

 

[MT~Forged]

I put money on it that he hasn't reached out or said one word to DK and that was the last straw.

It’s not Pickens’ responsibility to stand up and cheer for the DK signing or even make an overture to him. His job is to go to work and be the best WR he can be when the season starts.

This does feel like the KP situation all over again. Players not accepting that the game is all about competing with someone. These young players don’t seem to think they need to do that, they just want it handed to them.

 

[Aussie_Steeler]

we could have Moss and Owens in their prime and we still wouldn't open the damn offense up.

I don't know - Tomlin did open the offence up when he had Ben, Bell, Brown, Bryant/Juju, Pouncey, DeCastro, Gilbert, Foster, Villanueva in their primes and Ward and Miller at the tailend of their careers

 

[Aussie_Steeler]

I just can't get over how, 2 years in a row, they just make a knee-jerk reaction and have no backup plan. This year is worse as we have no QB1.

How do you know this is a knee-jerk reaction and it wasn't always the plan to trade Pickens and run with what they have once Metcalf was brought in? And how do you know last year's plan wasn't Aiyuk or Pickens rather than Aiyuk and Pickens i.e. maybe they were going to trade Pickens if the Aiyuk trade bid was successful.

 

[Aussie_Steeler]

Couldn’t we have received a 3rd round comp pick for him in 2027 draft and used him as a 3rd round pick this year?
Now we get the comp pick in 2026, a year earlier.
We could have used him this year for cheap

Two things need to happen for Steelers to get a third round comp pick for Pickens:

1. A team has to offer Pickens enough money for him to qualify for a third round pick
2. Steelers don't sign a UFA who cancels or reduces the value of the Pickens comp pick.

According to other posters on this thread Dallas aren't even planning to make an offer to extend Pickens, so maybe his value isn't going to be what everyone thinks.

So the Steelers are getting a definite 96 or earlier third round pick in 2026 versus a possibility of a 97-102ish third round pick in 2027.

 

[Coryea]

I don't know - Tomlin did open the offence up when he had Ben, Bell, Brown, Bryant/Juju, Pouncey, DeCastro, Gilbert, Foster, Villanueva in their primes and Ward and Miller at the tailend of their careers

He had Ben, and even then he wouldn't open it up until we were trailing, Ben talked about that in like 2014 after a road loss in Baltimore, and Tomlin said it was a tie game, and I was ok trading punts with them. Tomlin isn't allowing any young QB to open this offense up

 

[steel dino]

Absolutely livid by this trade, either A could of traded him before the draft or B traded him during the season when his value would of been higher (was going to go off with DK taking the best CB, also a contender would likely be willing to trade a 2nd or more for him mid season in order to compete).

Now we are right back to having 1 good WR, this move shows me they aren't all in on this season, let's just toll with Howard & Rudolph. Aren't going to get a playoff win either way and it seems clear they want a QB in next years draft.

Might as well trade Watt instead of pay him $40 Mil a season, we are just going to waste his career.

It is time to commit to a rebuild now.

I’m aligned with full rebuild..
No problem here.

 

[Troglodyte]

I just never advocate wanting to lose. Losers lose. Winners win. If it happened it is out of our control but the team has no guarantee that they can rebound or that will bring about change. Or that they will pick the right QB and develop him. Plus I simply despise losing. The team has already been embarrassing enough. I have no desire to see them be a worse version. That isn’t entertaining that just is inviting suck. Never that.

Yeah, for me to root against the Steelers, I would have to have serious money on it and that’s not happening.

 

[Steelers War Room]

I mean assuming he has a great season and Dallas doesnt retain him, he could be worth a third... but he probably gets a fourth unless he breaks out...

Third round comp picks are gonna hover around 20 million this season, they will go up several million next year... you have to be in the top 5% of contracts... and thats steep these days... i dont think 21 or 22 mil per will get a third next season, and I dont think Pickens is worth superstar money yet... plus if he has the success he needs to get big money, Jerrah will probably find a way to keep him

Plus, whatever comp pick he brings back will be in 2027. For those who are saying that the Steelers were robbed because they could have received a draft pick in 2025 had this happened before the draft, the same applies here. The Steelers received a 2026 third rounder, which is not equal to a 2027 third rounder.

 

[Steelers War Room]

Johnson and now Pickens act up to get moved from the team. Is this going to become the norm moving forward for everyone not happy on the roster?

Tomlin always says he wants volunteers, not hostages. This is already the norm.

 

[Fiji Mariner]

I mean assuming he has a great season and Dallas doesnt retain him, he could be worth a third... but he probably gets a fourth unless he breaks out...

Third round comp picks are gonna hover around 20 million this season, they will go up several million next year... you have to be in the top 5% of contracts... and thats steep these days... i dont think 21 or 22 mil per will get a third next season, and I dont think Pickens is worth superstar money yet... plus if he has the success he needs to get big money, Jerrah will probably find a way to keep him

We’ll see

I figure he will absolutely torch people next year with the benefits of
1) a legit NFL offensive scheme
2) the best QB he has played with in the NFL
3) going up against teams CB2

It’s gonna be game on, he will crush people as long as Dak stays healthy (big if)

Assuming this Jerrah will pay him or someone will and seeing what a guy like DK got (having to give away a 2nd taboot) GP will easily break 20-22 on the FA market for a team not having to give up a 2nd imho…we’ll see how it plays out

I’m betting Jerrah just pays him after a solid season.

 

[Fiji Mariner]

Two things need to happen for Steelers to get a third round comp pick for Pickens:

1. A team has to offer Pickens enough money for him to qualify for a third round pick
2. Steelers don't sign a UFA who cancels or reduces the value of the Pickens comp pick.

According to other posters on this thread Dallas aren't even planning to make an offer to extend Pickens, so maybe his value isn't going to be what everyone thinks.

So the Steelers are getting a definite 96 or earlier third round pick in 2026 versus a possibility of a 97-102ish third round pick in 2027.

And the Steelers are getting a big old gaping hole in a position group that appeared somewhat strong a day ago for that mere pittance

 

[Fiji Mariner]

Plus, whatever comp pick he brings back will be in 2027. For those who are saying that the Steelers were robbed because they could have received a draft pick in 2025 had this happened before the draft, the same applies here. The Steelers received a 2026 third rounder, which is not equal to a 2027 third rounder.

Yeah cuz they really needed another pick next year to be pick 12 instead of 11 (already a boatload) to create a gigantic roster hole

This is a Pittsburgh Pirates/Pen Fire sale move
Getting pennies on the dollar

Guess they don’t really give a **** about this season…oh that’s right “the standard”
MEDIOCRITY

 

[TDX27]

Best options are probably Keenan Allen or.....? They absolutely need to bring in a legit WR2 or they are right where they were last year but with a worse QB situation.

 

[SteelerInLebanon]

Here’s what you said:

“They never intended to trade Pickens. That was entirely a creation of the media and fans.”

Nice revisionism. Care to admit the front office botched this? I doubt it

I said I was wrong, didn't I? Again, why do you have to be such a douche? We don't know if they botched it because we don't have all the information and never will. You are welcome to think so but who knows? If he flames out, they will look like good in the end. I was shocked by it after they kept him during the draft but who know what has happened since. If you have some unknown insight please share.

 

[NorthernBlitz]

Absolutely livid by this trade, either A could of traded him before the draft or B traded him during the season when his value would of been higher (was going to go off with DK taking the best CB, also a contender would likely be willing to trade a 2nd or more for him mid season in order to compete).

Now we are right back to having 1 good WR, this move shows me they aren't all in on this season, let's just toll with Howard & Rudolph. Aren't going to get a playoff win either way and it seems clear they want a QB in next years draft.

Might as well trade Watt instead of pay him $40 Mil a season, we are just going to waste his career.

It is time to commit to a rebuild now.

I don't like this trade either.

But I don't think trading him for a 4th on draft weekend would have made it any better.

They clearly were mostly just looking to get rid of him IMO.

I don't think it's terrible in the medium term. But they need to change the messaging for this season. A move like this is the opposite of "we're doing everything we can to compete this year".

 

[SteelerInLebanon]

You have been wrong about a bunch the last few years while bashing the "Tomlin Haters" along the way.

Aside from the "Lloyds" I can't recall the last time that was a discussion. Mostly it is a heat of the game issue. We have certainly had plenty of reasonable discussions over the months. The Lloyds are the ones bringing up the antagonism. I admitted being wrong, I never see either of them ever do that.

 

[Steelmann]

3. Get your QB of the future.
It's now obvious that's the plan for 2026. The Steelers will have the draft ammo to move up if necessary to grab their 1st round QB of the future. They can even add another young WR

Just a question here Tape. I’ve read several times how they have the ammo now to move up in the draft. And while I realize it’s a year away…..I certainly think we need a hell of a lot more than a bunch of 3rds to move up. I have no idea how this season will go,but assuming we draft anywhere from 15-21st. I’m not a college football guy. I hear a lot about Manning and hey….maybe he goes #1. But the guy has thrown for 94 passes in his career and would be nuts to declare in my humble opinion. Especially with the financial security now available in the college market. And for us to move up that far would take multiple firsts. So I am also assuming there are multiple QB’s with potential to be drafted in say the top 20. I know you’ve got your finger on the pulse of college football. I know it’s early,but who should we be looking at in the upcoming season. Unbiased of course

 

[Confluence]

Yes… mission accomplished!
Can it be more obvious?!?
There is an engineering process in manufacturing called “ creative destruction “..the thought process is that you have to tear down a process to total failure to be able to fully understand what it will take to make it a world class process again.,
That’s exactly what their doing .,
And I totally get it and agree with the path forward..

then you would need a new HC and coordinators too......some/many measure lack of PO wins as total failure of the staff to get the scheme and players to the point of success.