The Dallas Cowboys reportedly acquired wide receiver George Pickens from the Pittsburgh Steelers this week. Oddly, the Seattle Seahawks sent the Steelers receiver DK Metcalf earlier in the offseason—one wonders now if Seattle and Pittsburgh might not have simply swapped receivers and draft picks.
Instead, Pittsburgh sent Seattle 2025 draft picks for Metcalf, and the Cowboys sent 2026 and 2027 draft picks for Pickens. The difference is the round in which those picks were given. Pickens is three years younger than Metcalf and still on his rookie deal.
Is he as productive? No, but it's close. In Pickens' second season, the 6'3" and 200-pound receiver had 1,140 receiving yards, and he has averaged 16.3 yards per catch over three years. The 6'4" and 235-pound Metcalf has topped 1,140 yards only once (1,303 yards, which came in his second season) and has averaged 14.4 yards per catch over his career.
Seahawks appear to have fleeced the Steelers based on George Pickens trade details
This is not to point out Pickens is better than Metcalf overall, but, again...it's close. So the fact that Pittsburgh shipped Pickens along with a 2027 sixth-round choice in return for a 2026 third-round pick as well as a 2027 fifth-round selection, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter, proves the Seahawks got a steal when they dealt Metcalf to the Steelers.
Plus, Seattle general manager John Schneider was not happy with only getting the draft choices from Pittsburgh and taking a player at those selections. He turned them into gold.
While the Seahawks gave the Steelers a sixth-round pick in 2025 and Metcalf, Seattle received a second-round choice plus a seventh-round selection (both in 2025) from Pittsburgh. The second-round pick was supposed to be number 52, but Schneider packaged that choice as well as another to move up to number 35. With that selection, Seattle took safety Nick Emmanwori.
With the seventh-round selection, Seattle chose running back Damien Martinez, who might be the next Chris Carson. Martinez and Carson are bigger backs, taken in the seventh round, and can help move the chains. Martinez could end up being one of the steals of the draft.
Meanwhile, Pittsburgh added Metcalf only to lose Pickens, who is probably a better route-runner than the former Seahawks player. He is also more expensive. Shortly after acquiring Metcalf, the Steelers signed him to a four-year extension with $80 million guaranteed.
Pittsburgh might wish they had eventually given Pickens an extension and drafted another wide receiver. Metcalf, as 12s know, can be mercurial.
The Seahawks are replacing Metcalf, for all intents and purposes, with Emmanwori and Martinez. Let's see where things stand in four seasons, but John Schneider probably made the right moves.
