The idea the Detroit Lions could trade wide receiver Jameson Williams had genuine juice added to it to kick off draft week. Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer named him twice in different contexts, once with a direct note that people in NFL circles think he could be traded.
It seems unlikely the Lions will trade Williams, but a national insider putting it out there cannot be ignored. The Lions also wouldn’t do it without having a plan to replace him, be it via an early draft pick or a trade for someone, and there are multiple option on the latter front they could pursue.
On that note, Thomas Valentine of Pro Football Focus proposed a trade for the Lions to trade for the “X receiver that is a notable void in their offense with or without Williams.
“The Lions have a few roster needs, particularly at wide receiver, edge defender and guard. They could trade up or trade away their first-rounder, but instead, they take a chance on the Steelers’ George Pickens. He earned a 78.6 PFF overall grade in 2024 and would give the Lions an X receiver that the offense has been lacking in recent seasons.”
“Pickens is a free agent after the 2025 season and the Steelers added D.K. Metcalf in a blockbuster trade earlier in the offseason, so perhaps they could let Pickens walk if the offer is enticing.”
There has been a lot of sentiment out there about the Steelers possibly trading Pickens, as he enters the final year of his contract. Pittsburgh’s history says they aren’t likely to sign him to a contract extension in line with his market value, and their prowess in finding wide receivers late in the draft is well-documented. When they decide to part ways with a productive wide receiver, they are often proven right in dramatic fashion.
Pickens has a 1,100-yard season on his resume, but overall he has been an underachiever over his first three seasons. He has also shown a penchant for volatility and immaturity, toeing the line of his talent being worth the trouble.
Lions general manager Brad Holmes has deferred to future contract extensions as a reason for not making any noteworthy moves this offseason. Acquiring Pickens would just add to that docket. In the context of an extension for Williams, Holmes noted the boom in the wide receiver market.
Beyond any future contractual matters, the Lions place great value on players who fit beyond the talent they bring to the table. To put it plainly, Pickens’ personality does not fit Dan Campbell’s locker room.
Among options for the Lions to add a wide receiver, or replace Williams if it comes to that, there are far better ideas than Pickens.