Welcome to the “If George Pickens gets traded, then…” mock.
Do I think the Steelers want to trade Pickens? No. I think they want to play him and DK Metcalf together in 2025, and then either extend or tag Pickens for 2026 after the two of them make the duo in Cincinnati look like amateurs. Option two would be to let him the young man hit free agency and earn a major comp pick for 2027. Call that 60-70%.
The remaining 30-40% comes from the chance that Pickens will inform the team he wants to leave, creating a “volunteers not hostages” scenario.