The Pittsburgh Steelers had a rough end to the 2024 regular season, as the team is currently on a four-game losing streak and fumbled the AFC North title after being atop the division for most of the year. Despite their late-season struggles, the Steelers still finished with a 10-7 record and will travel to M&T Bank Stadium to square off against the Baltimore Ravens in the Wild Card Round on Saturday.
The primary reason for Pittsburgh’s four-game skid has been the stagnant offense, especially the passing attack. The Steelers have gotten little production from their aerial attack over the last few games, and the return of star wide receiver George Pickens hasn’t helped either.
Pickens suffered a hamstring injury leading up to the team’s Week 14 matchup versus the Cleveland Browns and missed three games. The 23-year-old returned to the lineup in Week 17 versus the Kansas City Chiefs but had an uninspiring end to the regular season, especially in Week 18 when he had just one catch for zero yards and had multiple key drops versus the Cincinnati Bengals.
Pickens is still a dynamic playmaker and one of the better young receivers in football when at his best, but the 2022 second-round pick has shown some immaturity in his three years with the Steelers and also hasn’t been very consistent. Additionally, the former Georgia Bulldog is up for a contract extension this offseason, and general manager Omar Khan may not want to commit to Pickens long-term.
If Pittsburgh decides to deal their star receiver this offseason, The Wright Way Network’s Marissa Myers predicts Pickens will be traded to the Houston Texans.
The Texans are no strangers towards adding a disgruntled receiver. Primary example: they signed Stefon Diggs this past offseason who had a productive season before his injury. For the Texans, they have a strong culture under DeMeco Ryans where they would be able to get the most out of Pickens and work on his maturity.
This also presents the Texans with an option to fit a glaring need at the position. Diggs is a free agent, and Tank Dell will miss all next season with a torn ACL, and MCL. Nico Collins is good, but it is clear CJ Stroud needs the receiving talent around him to fully shine. With Pickens, they get a young receiver to help with that, as Pickens has yet to fully scratch the surface of his potential in the NFL.
The Texans wide receiver room was expected to be one of the most dynamic groups in football, but as Myers stated, season-ending injuries to Stefon Diggs in Week 8 and Tank Dell in Week 16 have completely decimated the unit. Nico Collins also missed five games this season due to a hamstring injury.
Though Pickens is incredibly inconsistent and can be frustrating at times, there’s no denying his talent. The former second-round pick posted a 1,000-yard campaign with five touchdowns in 2023 and had 900 yards in 2024 despite missing a handful of games.
The Steelers should keep Pickens on the roster in 2025, even if Pittsburgh decides not to give him a contract extension. But if the star playmaker is put on the trading block this offseason, Houston should look to acquire Pickens to replace Diggs, who is a free agent this offseason.
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