Pickens appears to be a poor risk

[Miller]

Couldn't agree more. Listening to Matt Williamson on his podcast who works on/off for the Steelers he didn't doubt is ability but said no one in the Steelers organisation wanted to hang around with him.

The Ticket interviewed a writer in Pitt today and he said he treated the media like they were lesser and no one will miss him. Said overall in training camp he'd come up with incredible catches, etc and had the ability and did it in games but was so volatile it wasn't worth it. So I'm ready for our fans to overreact to every circus play in training camp. I think he helps tremendously from a talent standpoint but will keep an eye out for the distractions when he isn't fed the ball

 

[DuncanIso]

It looks like you’ve done a great job of separating the potential negatives from the positives here.

Until he starts throwing his “fits” again.

Poison

 

[OGSixshooter]

Not only are we giving up a 3rd and a 5th next year but we basically are signing him for only one season. On a team that isn’t one player away.

His rookie deal runs out and why Steelers traded him as he seems unwilling to negotiate. On top of that he’s a head case. His emotions are difficult to keep in check.

He was fined for using an expletive on his eye black against the Cowboys. He also drew wide spread criticism in 2023 for what could generously be described as the attentive downfield blocking for his teammates.

Considering his volatility, the Steelers didn’t seem interested in signing Pickens to a contract extension running out of patience for the talented but mercurial former 2nd round pick. A 3rd and 5th looks like they found an anxious taker.

Add to that, he's an in-game IDIOT at times. Remember when Dez had to be told to get out of bounds as a rookie when the team is on a 2 min/4min drive? Welp...guess who routinely does dumb things trying to make it all about him? Pickens.

He's basically a worse on-field idiot than Dez with about 1/2 the talent Dez had at 24. Again, not a problem for a #2 WR IF that WR doesn't cost a 3rd and a 5th and then subsequently takes us to the cleaners in free agency.

 

[Fla Cowpoke]

If he's awful, which I doubt, and leaves after the season and signs elsewhere, he'll probably land them a 2027 5th rd comp pick. If he's very good and leaves he'll probably land them a 2027 3rd rd comp pick. Hey if Brian is going to be the king of culture and all that, they need to be able to handle a non perfect citizen player. His skills are undeniable. If he falls in line, they'll find the money to keep him and have a top 5 duo for a few years. I am perfectly fine with the risk/reward factor.

This is it. The people saying it is a bad deal aren't thinking clearly.

First off, the OP got it wrong that we lose two picks next year. The 5th is in 2027. The real cost is the 3rd. I will agree that the likelihood is that it is a one year deal...I don't see any way that the Cowboys can resign another number one WR when we have Parsons, Bland, and Smith up for new deals. If he has an average year and we let him walk...it is likely to get us at least a 5th round comp. If he has a good year, it likely gets us a third rounder.

If he really tanks it, we still are likely to get some level of compensation for him. The thing is, it is in his best interest to play his *** off. That is the only way that he is going to get to pick where he goes and make the money he wants.

There is an argument that this team isn't good enough even with him so why even make the move at all. The thing is, that is a defeatist attitude. In order to win it all, you have to have everybody buying in, from management to coaching to the players and every one else part of the team.

The guy is seriously talented. He also can be a divisive force. Sometimes, it is worth it to take the risk.

Only case that Dallas likely comes out as a loser is if her gets hurt.

 

[Stash]

Until he starts throwing his “fits” again.

Poison

Productive ‘poison’.

His emotional outbursts remind me of Dez Bryant.

He wasn’t a bad guy either, he just sometimes let his emotions get the best of him as well.

 

[Mr_437]

Not only are we giving up a 3rd and a 5th next year but we basically are signing him for only one season. On a team that isn’t one player away.

His rookie deal runs out and why Steelers traded him as he seems unwilling to negotiate. On top of that he’s a head case. His emotions are difficult to keep in check.

He was fined for using an expletive on his eye black against the Cowboys. He also drew wide spread criticism in 2023 for what could generously be described as the attentive downfield blocking for his teammates.

Considering his volatility, the Steelers didn’t seem interested in signing Pickens to a contract extension running out of patience for the talented but mercurial former 2nd round pick. A 3rd and 5th looks like they found an anxious taker.

There are upside and downside to trades, and this is the possible downside. The only silver lining to the trade going wrong is a possible comp pick, which, isn't much but it's something. Good thread to balance the conversation about Pickens.

 

[tm1119]

If he plays well the 3rd round pick will come back in the form of a compensatory pick so it’s not the end of the world

But of course there is the risk of things going very poorly and Pickens is bad/gets suspended (or something like that) and he tanks his value.

 

[stinkface]

He's 24. He is gonna get more mature as the years move forward. He has great ball skills and runs good routes. We will find out this year if the juice is worth the squeeze. Jerry has done much worse things.

 

[gtb1943]

being a contract year we certainly will get his best

but this is clearly not a long term situation because if he does perform as he can then we will not be able to afford both him and Lamb

this team is not at a point where one or two players will take us all the way

IF WE WERE THAT, then this trade would be a great one.

But we are not

 

[FanofJerry]

The Ticket interviewed a writer in Pitt today and he said he treated the media like they were lesser and no one will miss him. Said overall in training camp he'd come up with incredible catches, etc and had the ability and did it in games but was so volatile it wasn't worth it. So I'm ready for our fans to overreact to every circus play in training camp. I think he helps tremendously from a talent standpoint but will keep an eye out for the distractions when he isn't fed the ball

What isnthe deal with having to play the media game their way?

If you don't allow them to attack you or let them set you up....You're the bad guy regardless. Shedeur. Case in point. T.O., case In Point.

Why do you have to be their abuse subject. And if you don't allow them to attack you, you're the bad guy?

"Thats just the way it is"

I mean, media has time and time again been ruthless to players. And, I dont want to hear the good cop bad cop excuse...they are all one and the same when their producer/editor tells them to be.

Weird how players aren't allowed to protect themselves from media...and everyone is on the media's side about it. Hmm.

So. You signed up to play in nfl which has tv/network deals. So you have to answer questions in a certain tone and demeanor or you're a misfit?

And, I wasnt a fan of Belichecks ways with media back in the day

 

[Zman5]

People complain about the Jones boys not being 'All in' enough. Now they are complaining Jones boys being too 'All in' .

 

[Rayman70]

How this charade of her knowing anything continues is baffling.

Yip

 

[Rayman70]

People complain about the Jones boys not being 'All in' enough. Now they are complaining Jones boys being too 'All in' .

Ain't it nutty? Our fans are bipolar. They lost their way. Forgot how to celebrate success or to be positive when we do something good. I guess 30 years of falling short has messed up alot of folks.

 

[Rayman70]

People complain about the Jones boys not being 'All in' enough. Now they are complaining Jones boys being too 'All in' .

Plus, many just hate the Jones boys and nothing we do will change it. Much of it is the all in junk from last year. I admit, I knew they were lying the entire time. But I knew why they were throwing the HC to the wolves. See the GB loss. What they needed to do was fire him and the staff. Not ride it out.

 

[Rayman70]

And he’s in a contract year and needs to have his best season ever - in ALL areas.

And I firmly believe that the team will have a group of people working with him to maximize his abilities while trying to minimize his emotional outbursts.

Dak and Lamb as current players, and former players like Michael Irvin as well.

I think they have a plan.

I do too.

 

[XXLMike]

Very simple - it’s on him.

 

[Havic]

so he plays lights out. we fizzle out of playoffs as usual (at best). and we just traded a mid 3rd round pick for a 4th round pick...and you are happy!?

that's who jerry is selling to. folks like you.

If he plays well and isn’t a cancer, I’d like to resign him

 

[Rayman70]

I think this year, he will be a choir boy. If we sign him after that, he will probably be fine the first year of his new deal, then might need to be managed more. The puzzling thing is, why do folks think he's a bad guy when he's never had any major issues off the playing field? No bad behavior, no arrests... Nothing. Seems like he's being falsely smeared by the brass up in Pittsburgh because they knew they couldn't pay him.

 

[Rayman70]

The players in Pittsburgh have largely said he's been a great teammate. There's that.

 

[BoyzBlaster]

It's a bad trade. But why would we expect anything else.