As Pro Bowler George Pickens enters the 2026 season, set to play under the franchise tag, his recent ranking in the NFL Top 100 has reignited debate about whether the Pittsburgh Steelers made the right decision to move on from him.

In a list of the Top 100 NFL players of 2026 shared by CBS Sports, Pete Prisco ranked Pickens as the 66th player in the league.

"In his first season with the Cowboys in 2025, he showed he has the tools to be a star player on the outside," Prisco wrote on June 25. "He had 93 catches and nine touchdowns. He also averaged 15.4 yards per catch. (Last season: NR)."

Fellow Cowboys WR CeeDee Lamb stands at No. 60, quarterback Dak Prescott at No. 43, and defensive tackle Quinnen Williams was ranked as the 54th player by Prisco in the same article.

Pickens was unranked in the NFL Top 100 players list in 2024 during his stint with the Pittsburgh Steelers. He recorded 59 receptions for 900 receiving yards (44.7%) and three touchdowns in 2024.

But the wideout had his best campaign with the Cowboys in 2025, posting career highs in receptions (93), receiving yards (1,429), and touchdowns (nine).

Tommy Jaggi of Still Curtain believes that the Steelers are already reminded of how things have spiraled after trading Pickens to the Cowboys.

"The Pittsburgh Steelers didn't get the value they deserved in the George Pickens trade," Jaggi wrote on June 26. "But it wasn't the lack of elite production that got him in trouble with the team; it was his egregious lack of effort on the field at times and his distasteful comments to the media."

The Cowboys traded their 2026 third-round pick and 2027 fifth-round pick in exchange for Pickens and a 2027 sixth round-pick in May 2025.

Though Jaggi attributed the trade to Pickens' inconsistent efforts and unsportsmanlike conduct with the Steelers, he appears to be a changed man since joining the Cowboys.

"But in Dallas, everything changed - including his attitude," Jaggi wrote. "And considering there are over 700 starters and nearly 1,700 players on in-season rosters, this is elite company."

With a contract year ahead and his first NFL Top 100 selection, Pickens has another opportunity to prove that his breakout campaign last year was only the beginning.

Pickens says winning matters more than a long-term contract

According to Garrett Podell of CBS Sports, Pickens said during the minicamp sessions on June 16 that he is more focused on winning and proving himself than worrying about an extension.

"The game is going to be the game," Pickens said, per Garrett Podell of CBS Sports. "Money is tagged to it. You just want to do your job to the best of your abilities."

The Cowboys executives have been firm in their stance against signing Pickens to a long-term deal this summer, officially shutting down all extension negotiations before the league's July 15 deadline.

They have no plans to trade Pickens either, as the Cowboys expect him to play under the franchise tag this season and are focused on utilizing him in different ways in the offense, based on their scheme.

What do you think? Did the Steelers give up on George Pickens too soon, or was moving him the right call for Pittsburgh's locker room? Let us know in the comments.

You can read more at the Dallas Cowboys Community!

Written by

Archana Ramakrishnan

Edited by

Shubhi Rathore