Most NFL fans knew this day was coming, but it finally came to fruition. The Pittsburgh Steelers traded star wide receiver George Pickens to the Dallas Cowboys for a 2026 third-round pick and a swap of late-round picks in 2027.
Pickens too often makes the franchise and fan base question if his talent is worth the trouble that he brings to the team. Many feel that the Steelers ridded themselves of a headache, as Pickens' antics have often overshadowed his production on the field.
Wide receiver was a big need for the Las Vegas Raiders this offseason, and it can be argued a veteran addition would still be helpful at this juncture. A bit of a stir was created back in March when Pickens posted a photo on Instagram showing himself with Raiders' minority owner Tom Brady.
Whatever trade speculation that was fueled by the photo quickly faded, and any idea the Raiders could trade for Pickens is now officially moot. There's a hypothetical possibility that Las Vegas could pursue him as a free agent in 2026 if he hits the market, but that feels unlikely.
Radio host channels Raiders fans sentiment about George Pickens
Maybe Pickens overcomes his immaturity in Dallas and becomes one of the best receivers in the NFL. However, the issues that were prevalent in Pittsburgh could still remain and keep him from ever reaching his full potential.
Jason Fitzgerald of Yahoo! Sports and Fox Sports Radio talked about the Raiders not being the team that traded for Pickens on Thursday's edition of Raider Nation Radio's Morning Tailgate.
"I am so glad they did not acquire George Pickens," Fitzgerald said. "And I say that knowing that I think that George Pickens, when he plays the way he can play, is one of the best in the league."
RELATED: Proposed Raiders trade candidate would leave uncertainty at key position
Fitzgerald then dove deeper into some lackluster Raiders history to reinforce his point.
“I will just remind the entire Raiders fan base that we have seen what it looks like to have a Hall of Fame wide receiver not give a (expletive) and Randy Moss, we watched that," Fitzgerald added. "I don’t understand how you can be a Hall of Famer when you quit on your team for an entire year. I will die on that hill all day long. I look at George Pickens and think, ‘Man, you ain’t Randy Moss and your effort is about the same when you don’t care.’ I’m out on that.”
Raiders head coach Pete Carroll showed that he can handle players who are difficult to deal with during his time as the Seattle Seahawks' head coach. So, Pickens may not have necessarily been an issue in that sense, but if you don't consistently bring effort on the field, Carroll will have a problem with that.
All in all, Pickens is a lurking headache that Las Vegas avoided and Raider Nation should be happy they did.