The Steelers, internally, were breathing easy after finalizing the George Pickens trade, according to Brooke Pryor of ESPN yesterday. While some reports did emerge in recent months, they largely worked quietly in orchestrating this deal, as is their tendency. Although not surprising that they pulled the trigger, it still felt like it came out of nowhere.
No team wants to be in the business of removing its most talented players from its roster. Whatever else he might be, George Pickens was certainly among the Steelers’ most talented players. But for many reasons, on many levels, they understood internally this was the right move.