Like many in the immediate aftermath of the trade of wide receiver George Pickens to the Dallas Cowboys last week, Pittsburgh Steelers’ team captain Cameron Heyward was surprised by the move. But one thing he’s not going to do is panic over the roster situation moving forward.
Hosting the latest episode of “Not Just Football with Cam Heyward” Tuesday morning, Heyward reacted to the Pickens trade, stating he was surprised by it, but knows that the trade benefits both teams. On top of that, he borrowed an Aaron Rodgers line, telling fans to relax a bit, while also citing the Steelers’ track record of trading receivers at just the right time.
“I didn’t know anything about it. I think, in my position, didn’t expect to know. I woke up the next morning and he had been traded. Was I surprised? Yeah. But you know, the game is the game, and I know it benefits both teams,” Heyward said of the Pickens trade to the Cowboys, according to video via the show’s YouTube page. “We get another third-round pick, they get a wide receiver to go along with CeeDee Lamb. Would I’ve liked to see George and DK [Metcalf] play together? Yeah, but hopefully there’s something in the works.”
With the trade of Pickens to the Cowboys, the Steelers continue to load up in the 2026 NFL Draft, where many believe they will be aggressive for a quarterback, especially in a class that has the potential to be a great one at the position, just based on some names that are eligible right now.
So, it does benefit the Steelers that way. But for the 2025 season, it does hinder them quite a bit offensively as the receiver room was a bonafide strength with DK Metcalf and Pickens in the same room. Now though, the Steelers are looking at the likes of Robert Woods, Calvin Austin III and Roman Wilson as guys that could be the No. 2 receiver at the moment, assuming the Steelers don’t make a move and add another legitimate receiver.
For Heyward, he doesn’t know if there is anything in the works, but he’s hopeful that something is. That said, he also believes guys like Austin, Wilson and even tight end Pat Freiermuth are going to need to step up even further with the opportunity.
“I don’t know. I’m not going to go out and start making these extravagant thoughts of, ‘oh, we’re gonna trade for this,'” Heyward said. “I think you have to look at the players we do have around. You got Calvin Austin, and I think he’s gonna take a step forward. I think the ball should be going through Pat [Freiermuth] a little bit more. And then also, you’re looking for a guy like Roman Wilson to really take a big step. So, it’s not like we don’t have a number one receiver still with DK.
“So, that’s gonna play a factor. But we’ll see what happens. A lot’s happened this offseason. I know everybody made a big stink about what the Steelers are gonna do, but there’s been a lot of turnover there.”
There’s been a lot of turnover with the Steelers. A lot has changed. There are a bunch of new faces in the building, and a lot of familiar faces have left or been traded, like Pickens. There’s still a lot that can happen, like Rodgers signing with the Steelers to shore up the quarterback situation, or a trade for a receiver, though some reports have shot that down already.
Steelers’ GM Omar Khan does like the receiver room, though, post-Pickens, and believes it’s in a much better spot than 2024, where the Steelers really struggled behind Pickens as a No. 1 option. On paper, it might be. Metcalf is a star receiver and a true No. 1, Woods is an experienced veteran with legitimate production throughout his tenure, while Austin took a step forward last season and Wilson reportedly looks like a different player this offseason.
But until they hit the field, it’s unknown, and there’s a lot of hope being banked on those guys all reaching their potential.
For Heyward though, the message is simple to Steelers Nation: calm down.
“I’m sure guys have talked about it, but I think the main thing is, and this is a PSA for all Steeler fans: don’t panic, stay patient, we’ll get to work,” Heyward said of his message to the fans. “I think sometimes we can jump off the ship and think the ship is sinking. We got work to do. And, you know, whoever won the offseason isn’t gonna win the regular season, is not gonna win the Super Bowl.
“So, I’m locked in on that, locked in on having a good year, and I hope my teammates are, too.”
That’s the only real approach to take. Players might be surprised by the trade of Pickens. Some might also have been so fed up that they wanted the team to move on, even if it created a hole. But regardless of how they might feel, the Steelers have to get to work and prepare for the 2025 season.
Maybe the Pickens trade was an addition by subtraction as the headache and distraction is out the door, allowing the Steelers to focus on the task at hand and take a step forward as an offense.
Only time will tell.
Check out the full episode of “Not Just Football with Cam Heyward” below.
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