The 2026 NFL Draft is here, where all the picks traded in the years leading up to it finally turn from numbers into actual football players. With that in mind, we’ll be taking a look at what some of those trades look like now with the added context. One of the most impactful trades of 2025 was the Pittsburgh Steelers sending wide receiver George Pickens to the Dallas Cowboys in May. The Steelers are finally starting to see the return on that move in the 2026 NFL Draft.
Original terms of the George Pickens trade
- Cowboys receive: George Pickens, 2027 sixth-round pick
- Steelers receive: 2026 third-round pick, 2027 fifth-round pick
What did the Steelers do with the pick from the George Pickens trade?
This third-round selection turned
into pick 76. With the 12th pick in the third round of the 2026 NFL Draft, the Steelers selected TBD. We will update after the pick is made.
The 2027 Day 3 pick swap details will be finalized in next year’s NFL Draft.
How was George Pickens’ performance for the Cowboys in 2025?
Pickens broke out with the Cowboys in 2025, recording 1,429 receiving yards and nine touchdowns on 93 catches – all career highs by a significant margin. Part of one of the NFL’s most potent passing offenses, Pickens earned his first career Pro Bowl nod as well as second-team All-Pro honors.
The NFL’s third-leading receiver last season, Pickens was set to enter free agency as one of the biggest names available. However, the Cowboys franchise-tagged him before the legal tampering period, meaning Pickens is signed to play for Dallas on a one-year, $27.3 million deal in 2026.
For at least one more season, the Cowboys look to field one of the NFL’s most dangerous receiving duos in Pickens and CeeDee Lamb. Pickens didn’t fully shake his reputation as an inconsistent player in 2025, but he took a massive step forward. If he stays on his current trajectory, the 25-year-old will be in line for a massive long-term contract soon.
