The Seattle Seahawks have arguably undergone as much change as anybody in the NFL this offseason.
The team shipped off star wide receiver D.K. Metcalf to the Pittsburgh Steelers, and sent quarterback Geno Smith to the Las Vegas Raiders. To replace that duo, the team added Sam Darnold and Cooper Kupp in free agency.
However, one writer believes the Seahawks and Steelers should link up for another trade involving a wide receiver.
Kristopher Knox of Bleacher Report identified some receivers who could be traded before the 2025 season. One receiver included was George Pickens of the Steelers, and Knox thinks the Seahawks are a perfect fit.
Regarding a potential Pickens-Seahawks trade, Knox offered the following:
Teams that miss out on a top receiver prospect on opening night and have the cap space to extend Pickens should be interested in making an offer.
Ironically, the Seahawks could be among those teams. Seattle added Kupp but traded Metcalf and released Tyler Lockett. They could use another receiver to help support new quarterback Sam Darnold. Receivers coach Frisman Jackson held the same position in Pittsburgh in 2023—which was Pickens’ only 1,000-yard campaign to date.
Knox suggests that Pickens could be had for a mid-Day 2 pick. This is not a high price to pay for a potentially-elite wide receiver like Pickens, and the Seahawks should be interested.
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Pickens has been a reliable receiver in the NFL, but character and attitude concerns could potentially spell doom for his Pittsburgh tenure.
As Knox mentioned, though, Seattle could be a perfect fit. Frisman Jackson is the receivers coach in Seattle, and Jackson was the receivers coach for Pittsburgh in 2023 when Pickens had his best season.
Additionally, the Seahawks still could use more pass-catchers, even after adding Kupp and Marquez Valdes-Scantling. Kupp is an aging receiver, who like Jaxon Smith-Njigba, does his best work in the slot. Meanwhile, Valdes-Scantling is nothing but an occasional deep-threat option.
In 2024, Pickens caught 59 passes for 900 yards and three touchdowns in 14 games. The receiver collected 1,140 yards in 2023, however, showcasing his elite potential in the right situation. Making Pickens’ output more impressive is the fact that the Steelers have had a shaky quarterback situation throughout his time there.
Pickens is slated to play out the final year of his rookie deal in 2025 and will carry a cap hit of just over $4 million. He is also projected to land a four-year, $94 million deal when he hits free agency next year.
Over the Cap projects the Seahawks to be among the league-leaders in available cap space in 2026, so the team would have no problem extending Pickens if he performed well for the team in 2025.
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