Former Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver George Pickens ' future with the Dallas Cowboys could be tested this offseason.
The Pittsburgh Steelers dealt with problems on and off the field from wide receiver George Pickens for three years. However, that was nearly non-existent with the Dallas Cowboys this season.
One NFL executive believes that could change very soon, though.
"I just don't see him, coming off the season he had, welcoming the tag with open arms," a veteran AFC coach said, via Jeremy Fowler of ESPN .
Pickens, 24, is coming off a career year with the Cowboys, during which he recorded a career-high 93 catches for 1,429 yards and nine touchdowns.
Still, the Cowboys are expected to franchise-tag Pickens, which would pay him around $28 million next season, and it's safe to assume Pickens is looking for a long-term deal.
If Dallas doesn't give Pickens what he's looking for, things could certainly get sticky for both sides, with some clearly believing Pickens could sit out the majority of the offseason and training camp.
Only time will tell if that will happen, but this is the exact reason the Steelers moved on from Pickens for a third-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft this offseason, despite him being very talented and many tabbing the trade as one of the worst in NFL history.
Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver George Pickens makes a catch against the New York Giants on Oct. 28, 2024. — Ed Thompson / Steelers Now
"I think that trading George Pickens is probably going to go down as one of the worst deals in NFL history, and I mean that. I'm sorry to the Steelers. I just think it's true," Kay Adams said on the Up & Adams Show .
Both sides will have plenty of time to figure out a deal with a July 15 deadline if Pickens were to be tagged, but the longer the situation potentially drags on, the more likely it will be that Pickens is on his third team in five years.
A second-round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft by the Steelers, Pickens has registered 267 catches for 4,270 yards and 21 touchdowns in his professional career.
This article originally appeared on Steelers Now : Ex-Steelers WR George Pickens Could Soon Cause Big Problem For Cowboys
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