George Pickens’ future with the Pittsburgh Steelers remains uncertain, as he enters the final year of his contract and the 2025 NFL Draft looms. Replacing him now seems like a matter of when, not if — just ask insider James Palmer.
According to Palmer, who recently appeared live on the Bleacher Report YouTube channel, replacing Pickens with Iowa State WR Jayden Higgins may be the direction the Pittsburgh Steelers are leaning.
“There’s a lot of people that believe George Pickens’ time there is limited, that’s why they did the [DK Metcalf] deal — it’s why they paid DK what they did. You don’t pay both of them. Do they look for a high-volume number two guy, like a Jayden Higgins? Man, would they love to have him — oh man, I know that they would love to have him.”
One issue remains with what Palmer stated, however — and that’s where Higgins is projected to be selected: the second round, where the Pittsburgh Steelers currently don’t have a draft pick.
No one will deny that Higgins has piqued the interest of the Steelers, as he was brought in for a pre-draft visit almost a month ago — but it would likely take a trade back in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft to regain a second-round pick.