The Pittsburgh Steelers find themselves between a rock and a hard place when it comes to wide receiver George Pickens.
Pickens is no doubt talented and the Steelers need him, even after the trade for DK Metcalf. However, he's also entering the final year of his deal and his volatility has made extending him a very risky proposition for Pittsburgh. That reality leaves the door open for Pickens to walk for nothing in free agency in 2026.
ESPN's Adam Schefter recently listed Pickens as someone who could be traded this offseason, and that led to On SI's Chris Roling to suggest that the Los Angeles Chargers should make a call for the former second-round pick.
"The wildcard. Pickens can be a game-changing player, but that seems to apply for and against his team," he wrote. "He averages better than 16 yards per catch and seemingly hasn’t hit his upside. Putting him with Justin Herbert might help.
"But there’s no fifth-year option because he wasn’t a first-rounder, so 2025 is the final year before he might seek a massive extension," Roling wrote.
It certainly makes sense to link the Chargers to a possible Pickens trade. The team had a breakout star in 2024 in Ladd McConkey, but Quentin Johnston is unreliable, Mike Williams is past his prime and Joshua Palmer left for the Buffalo Bills.
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Pickens would immediately slot in as the No. 1 wide receiver on the boundary and he could very well go off with Justin Herbert, who would be the best quarterback to ever throw the rock to Pickens. And, at 24 years old, Pickens could be a long-term solution, assuming he gets an extension, which Spotrac projects will be for four years and $94.2 million ($23.6 million annually).
But, again, there is significant risk here. The Chargers could have to give up a Day 2 pick for Pickens, but if he displays the same bad attitude in Los Angeles that he did in Pittsburgh, the Chargers might balk at extending him, which could make Pickens an expensive rental.
All that said, the Chargers are looking to build off an unexpected playoff campaign and cement themselves as true contenders. And, with a dire need at wide receiver, taking a chance on Pickens is a risk the Chargers may just have to take.
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