It’s only May, and the Pittsburgh Steelers are already in midseason chaos. The latest twist? Trading away their most dynamic wide receiver to the Dallas Cowboys for a 2026 third-round pick and a 2027 fifth-round pick. And while the national media may call this a win for Dallas, Baltimore Ravens fans should feel like the real winners.
This is what happens when a team builds backward. The Steelers dropped a five-year, $150 million bag on DK Metcalf without a quarterback, and shipped off the one guy who’s been their only consistent contributor and most promising receiver in years. Pickens was erratic, sure—but he was also electric. And the Steelers just caved.
It’s hard not to laugh. After getting smoked by Najee Harris on his way out, losing both of their starting quarterbacks, and being ghosted by Aaron Rodgers, the Steelers are now watching their offense get torn down from the inside. And if this is part of a plan... it’s one heck of a confusing one.
This is unraveling in real time—and Ravens fans are loving every second
From a Ravens perspective, this is comedy gold. First, the Steelers overpay for Metcalf. Then they alienate Pickens. Now they’re left hoping Calvin Austin III turns into a WR2 while waiting on Rodgers to make up his mind. It’s almost too perfect.
Let’s not forget what Mike Tomlin said about Pickens just months ago. “He’s got to grow up,” Tomlin snapped after multiple unsportsmanlike penalties against the Bengals. He doubled down later, saying there was still “a heck of a lot more ground to be covered.” So instead of waiting for him to grow, they shipped him off. Amazing.
Meanwhile, Baltimore is absolutely loaded on both sides of the ball. But the offense could be historic once again. Lamar Jackson, Zay Flowers, Derrick Henry, Mark Andrews, and Rashod Bateman are dangerous. Pittsburgh has DK Metcalf and a blinking ‘HELP WANTED’ sign at quarterback. Even if Rodgers does choose the Steelers—and that’s a massive if—they’d be banking on a 41-year-old who hasn’t been himself in years to salvage this mess.
The Pickens trade is just the latest entry in a long list of post-Roethlisberger disasters. It’s a masterclass in dysfunction: a franchise with no direction, no stability, and now, no wide receiver depth. The “Standard” may still be the Standard—but in Pittsburgh, that standard is slipping fast.
And from Baltimore’s view? This couldn’t be going any better.