Inside: So much to cover, from the George Pickens trade to Justin Tucker’s release. That, plus a new-look Raiders team. Let’s go.
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Is Dallas the team to outsmart Pittsburgh?
Yours for a third- and fifth-round pick: a 24-year-old deep-ball threat who, before an injury, ranked top-10 in receiving yards and yards per route run last season. This former second-round pick also led the NFL in yards per reception in 2023. Not only is he one of the league’s most explosive receivers, he also catches everything thrown his way:
Discounts usually come with a different kind of catch, though, and George Pickens is no exception. A headache in the locker room, Pickens and his antics wore out Mike Tomlin. “He’s got to grow up in a hurry,” said the longtime Steelers coach in one postgame conference, after Pickens had been flagged twice for unsportsmanlike conduct.
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Pickens was 40 minutes late to his next game. Teammates weren’t surprised. Yikes.
It’s not the first time we’ve seen Pittsburgh bail on a young, productive receiver. Chase Claypool comes to mind. Diontae Johnson too. The Steelers traded both before seemingly immediate declines, netting a second-round pick and starting cornerback. When Pittsburgh traded Antonio Brown, it looked like a win for the Raiders. Welp. History suggests that if the Steelers don’t want their receiver, you shouldn’t either.
The Cowboys think they know better. A field-stretcher with an elite catch radius, Pickens looks like the ideal complement to dynamic slot threat CeeDee Lamb. It’s also the fourth and final year of Pickens’ rookie contract, giving the All-Pro talent every incentive to hold out for a long-term extension play at his best. Saad Yousuf explains this is a bet on the culture in Dallas:
“If Pickens straightens up and lets his talent do the talking, the Cowboys would have not just found their final puzzle piece to the offense in 2025, but created a formidable wide receiver duo for the foreseeable future.”
Jon Machota’s look at the pros and cons of this deal:
“Part of the reason Dak Prescott is the NFL’s highest-paid player is because of his leadership. If Prescott can’t get Pickens on the same page, it might be a good thing to part ways after one season instead of giving him a long-term deal.”
Jeff Howe gave out grades for both teams. Based on his C+ for the Cowboys, it’s clear he’s not counting on their culture.
Let’s talk about a culture I’d bet on. But first, Dianna adds context to the trade.
What Dianna’s Hearing: Pickens move a long time coming
The Cowboys and Steelers had been working on this trade since before the draft, but talks stalled — Pittsburgh wanted more than a fourth-round pick. Dallas’ offer improved after their draft ended without adding a No. 2 option behind Lamb.
The updated list of receivers they’ve acquired via trade since 2023:
- 2023: Traded fifth- and sixth-round picks for Brandin Cooks
- 2024: Traded a fourth-round pick for Jonathan Mingo and a seventh-round pick
- 2025: Traded third- and fifth-round picks for Pickens and a sixth-round pick
Back to you, Jacob.
The competent … Raiders?
This offseason, arguably no franchise changed as drastically as the Raiders did. Only one other team (the Jets) likewise added a new general manager, starting QB and head coach, with Vegas bringing in a ton of experience at those last two spots.
From left to right in the photo above: GM John Spytek (whom Dan Pompei profiled here), QB Geno Smith and HC Pete Carroll, together with minority owner Tom Brady, are a sign of change. Immediately.
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If everything goes according to plan, they’ll eventually help the Raiders win their first playoff game since January 2003, a month before rapper 50 Cent released his “Get Rich or Die Tryin’” studio debut album.
It’s a new world in Las Vegas, so I asked beat reporter Tashan Reed to explain the new vibes.
💬 “The Raiders are now perceived to be a competently run franchise. That’s a low bar, but it remains a noteworthy development for a team that’s been in a perpetual cycle of ineptitude.
“At the ownership level, Brady has brought a level of football knowledge that was previously lacking. While former head coach Antonio Pierce was popular among the fanbase and locker room, Carroll has a much more proven track record. And although Spytek is a first-time general manager, there’s more optimism there, too, given he’s not a former GM who had been fired, like Tom Telesco was.
“On the other hand, plenty of questions remain about the roster. They made a major upgrade at quarterback and added a star-level talent at running back in Ashton Jeanty, but offensive line, linebacker and cornerback look like potential problem areas. Those concerns will temper win-loss total expectations, but there’s more reason to believe they’re headed in the right direction.”
It’s a new age of Raider football, one that will be defined in part by the success — or struggles — of Jeanty. Tashan’s profile of Jeanty suggests the highest-drafted RB since Saquon Barkley is ready.
Ravens move on from Tucker
Thirteen seasons, five first-team All-Pro nods and seven Pro Bowls.
Justin Tucker was known as automatic, hitting 89.1 percent of his field goal attempts. The most accurate kicker in NFL history had, at one point, hit 65 consecutive in the fourth quarter or overtime. There might be only three kickers in history (Adam Vinatieri, Morten Andersen and three-time champ Harrison Butker) who wouldn’t have traded résumés with Tucker.
His play hit a pinnacle during his record-setting 2021, when his 66-yard field goal set a new mark and he was named a top-100 player in the league. He hit a remarkable 94.6 percent of his field goal attempts that year.
Everything changed, quickly. Last season, his field goal percentage was a career-low 73.3. He missed two extra points. Still, Baltimore planned to stick with him.
“I have every expectation that Justin’s going to be a great kicker for us next year and moving forward,” said GM Eric DeCosta after the Ravens’ playoff loss to Buffalo.
Then the Baltimore Banner published a series of investigative stories, starting in mid-February. Given Tucker’s previously sterling reputation, it was especially surprising to learn the kicker was accused by 16 massage therapists of sexually inappropriate behavior during bodywork sessions, allegations which he quickly denied.
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After the Ravens drafted kicker Tyler Loop in April’s sixth round, they made the decision Monday to release Tucker. This means a lot of things all at once: parting ways with a franchise great, replacing a 35-year-old who struggled last season and severing a connection to a player still under NFL investigation. The team is calling the move a “football decision.”
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(Photo: Joe Sargent / Getty Images)
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