Will Pickens’ career in Dallas end up being better than his career in Pittsburgh?
Will Pickens’ career in Dallas end up being better than his career in Pittsburgh?
The Dallas Cowboys added a weapon with star potential this week when they struck a deal with the Pittsburgh Steelers to acquire wide receiver George Pickens in exchange for a third-round pick and a 2027 Day 3 pick swap. The 24-year-old, 6-foot-3 pass catcher appears to be an ideal No. 2 target for Dak Prescott and running mate for CeeDee Lamb, but he will have to overcome the “Steelers WR curse” in Dallas.
Yes, there is a supposed curse affecting wide receivers who have left Pittsburgh, whether via trade or free agency. Just look at the last two notable wide receivers to leave the Steelers. Chase Claypool went from a prospective star to a free agent, and Diontae Johnson went from a Pro Bowler to a seemingly perennially disgruntled player. There are more examples than just those two players.
According to information compiled by ESPN, Steelers wide receivers usually don’t leave town and become more productive. If we are looking at receiving yards-per-game metrics, most saw that per-game productivity fall off after leaving Pittsburgh.
| Player | Yards Per Game with Steelers | Yards Per Game after leaving Steelers |
|---|---|---|
| Antonio Brown | 86.2 | 67.8 |
|
64.2 |
49.8 |
|
|
63.9 |
42.2 |
|
|
61.2 |
34.7 |
|
|
Diontae Johnson |
56.7 |
31.3 |
|
53.3 |
33.3 |
|
|
Chase Claypool |
52.4 |
11.4 |
|
George Pickens |
59.2 |
? |
There are a couple of notes to add here. One, Emmanuel Sanders is an example of a wide receiver who left Pittsburgh and improved. After averaging 36.3 receiving yards per game with the Steelers over his first four seasons in the NFL, Sanders signed with the Denver Broncos and immediately recorded a career-high 87.8 receiving yards per game in 2014. He also led the Broncos with six receptions for 83 yards in Denver’s Super Bowl 50 win.
Furthermore, it’s not uncommon for wide receivers to be less productive after leaving their first team. We just saw the Jacksonville Jaguars release Gabe Davis one year into a three-year, $39 million contract. He averaged 42.7 receiving yards per game and caught 27 touchdowns during his four seasons with the Buffalo Bills. Last year for the Jags, Davis averaged just 23.9 receiving yards per game and caught two touchdowns. Career lows all across the board.
There are some things working against Pickens as he attempts to reach his ceiling as a wide receiver. He may not have found the stability some believe he has. It’s hard to ignore the possibility that this upcoming season in Dallas could be his only year with the Cowboys. Pickens has just one more year remaining on his current contract, and we know the Cowboys aren’t quick to re-sign their players. Just ask Micah Parsons, who is still waiting on his lucrative extension.
Pickens is a player who is very capable of blossoming in a different situation. But it’s worth bringing up that it hasn’t happened much when it comes to the Steelers.