When Mike Tomlin and the Steelers pulled off the blockbuster trade for DK Metcalf, it felt like a bold statement—finally, a big-bodied, high-octane WR1 to electrify the offense. Steelers Nation was buzzing, picturing Metcalf and George Pickens as a nightmare duo for secondaries. But beneath the excitement, whispers started: could this be more than just a pairing? Could it signal a shift in Pittsburgh’s receiver hierarchy? After all, Metcalf came with a hefty $150M payday and a five-year commitment.

Then came the social media drama—Pickens unfollowed the team, and trade rumors swirled. Reports linked him to teams like the Cowboys and Packers, and insiders hinted the Steelers were quietly fielding calls. Pickens pushed back, calling it clickbait, but the tension felt legit. And just as that buzz hit a peak, the Steelers made a move—not a splashy one, but a head-scratcher.

A low-key, veteran addition that got folks raising eyebrows. A couple of days ago, and just 48 hours after the 2025 NFL draft, the Steelers agreed to a one-year, $2 million deal with WR Robert Woods, a 12-year veteran. While some folks out there think that Woods is simply a veteran who could still block and add depth to the receiving corps, others like Big Ben believe that adding Woods to the roster was a good decision.

“I love the Robert Woods signing, ” said Ben Roethlisberger on Tuesday’s episode of his podcast. “I know he’s 33, but he adds depth. He adds a veteran presence there as well—one-year deal. I don’t think that hurts anything. I think that’s another good signee that can help a younger quarterback.” You see, by now, it’s safe to say that Woods’ best days are behind him, considering the man is 33 years old and has been in the league for over a decade now.

But if you’re thinking that he isn’t a good signee for the team, think again. In a career spanning 12 seasons, Woods posted only one season with a per-catch average under 10 yards. That came back in 2022 while playing for the Tennessee Titans at 9.9. After being drafted by the Bills back in the 2013 NFL draft, Woods’ breakout seasons came with the Rams, where he had back-to-back 1,000-yard receiving seasons in 2018 and 2019, and won his first Super Bowl in 2021.

Sure, he’s not going to be the Steelers’ top wideout. It’s up to DK Metcalf and George Pickens. But when it comes to sharing some wisdom for the younger receivers, Robert Woods is surely going to be there. And Mike Tomlin knows it pretty well. In the meantime, Tomlin and Co. still have to tackle Pickens’ situation.

Teams are showing interest in Mike Tomlin’s star wide receiver

George Pickens is entering the final year of his rookie deal and that means only one thing. The star wide receiver is going to ask for a contract extension this summer. However, heading to the 2025 NFL draft, the rumor mill was buzzing that the Steelers were going to trade Pickens. To make it spicier, the Cowboys entered the chat and The Athletic’s Dianna Russini reported that Dallas and Pittsburgh had a call discussing a potential trade.

“I can just tell you, before the draft and during the draft, [the Steelers] were calling around, teams were calling them, there were conversations flying around about George Pickens,” Russini writes. “But I think it’s probably at this point not going to be something we see happen.” See, given the Steelers failed to draft a WR, and Pickens is still on the roster, it’s safe to say that a trade call didn’t go well for the Steelers.

It’s still unclear if other teams are interested in trading for Pickens or not (given his off-field drama), but Gerry Dulac believes that the Steelers never neared a trade for Pickens. “I don’t think they came close at all,” Dulac said while addressing Pickens’ trade. “I don’t think they want to right now. If you trade George Pickens, now you’re basically back to where you were before you had DK Metcalf. SO no, I think their approach is to go into the regular season and have those two and add whatever you can to it, with Roman Wilson and Calvin Austin III.”

Although Dulac adhered to his thoughts that the Steelers will not sign Pickens on a second contract. But he also confirmed that Pittsburgh had no plans of trading their star wideout. Pickens will be hoping to get a contract extension soon. Will Mike Tomlin and crew sign him on another contract or they’ll trade him to another team? We’ll find that out soon.