Palmer concluded that Pickens will likely be traded before the start of the 2026 season — which aligns with insider Gerry Dulac’s comments that Pickens could be moved at next year’s draft to help the Steelers trade up for a top quarterback.

The Pittsburgh Steelers’ situation with George Pickens has not gone well behind the scenes, according to NFL insider James Palmer. Palmer states that Pickens is unlikely to be with the Steelers beyond this year.

The Steelers were already open to dealing Pickens last year, actively listening to trade offers before ultimately keeping him due to a lack of receiver depth. There was more talk of the same around draft time, when we know the Dallas Cowboys discussed the idea of trading for him.