The Las Vegas Raiders have figured out their starting quarterback situation for at least next season after the trade for Geno Smith. Now, the team has to give him more weapons to throw to.
Las Vegas has a strong foundation with wide receiver Jakobi Meyers and tight end Brock Bowers, but the team lacks a true No. 1 wide receiver, something they lost following the Davante Adams trade.
One NFL analyst, Steelers Wire's Andy Vasquez, thinks the Raiders will address that need during the 2025 NFL Draft, but not by selecting a wide receiver.
Instead, he sees the Raiders pulling off a blockbuster trade with the Pittsburgh Steelers for young wide receiver George Pickens.
Steelers-Raiders trade prediction
The trade sees the Raiders give up their No. 37 overall pick, which Pittsburgh turns around and uses on Pickens' replacement, Stanford wide receiver Elic Ayomanor.
"Replacing Pickens isn't easy — but Elic Ayomanor gives the Steelers the best shot at doing so," he wrote. "The 6'2" Stanford WR prospect combines speed and size with great route running — and he could contribute alongside WR DK Metcalf right away."
There has been Pickens-Raiders trade speculation for some time now given the fact that Las Vegas has a need at wide receiver. Pickens added fuel to that fire recently when he posted a photo of himself standing next to Raiders minority owner Tom Brady.
Pickens has all the talent in the world and could be a true superstar at the wide receiver position. However, two things have stopped him from hitting his ceiling: shoddy quarterback play in Pittsburgh, and a bad attitude.
Pickens can best be described as toxic on a football field, and he has also run into off-the-field issues after showing up late to at least one game. This has played a huge role in Pittsburgh's hesitance to extend the young star.
While Pickens would no doubt provide the upgrade the Raiders need, concerns over his attitude remain. If Las Vegas struggles in any form or fashion, Pickens is likely to devolve into a big problem. The good news is, the Raiders have a head coach in Pete Carroll who is about as well-equipped to handle that situation as anyone is.
Also bear in mind that Pickens will be a free agent in 2026, so giving up a second-rounder for him will be risky. It remains to be seen if Pickens would even net a second-rounder considering all the aforementioned factors.
On the flip side, if the Raiders are ready to part with him next year after a failed stint, they could tag and trade the 24-year-old instead of losing him for nothing. However, if Pickens does pan out, the Raiders will have a long-term solution, assuming they are ultimately able to extend him.
At this stage in the game, the Raiders aren't likely to have many opportunities to land a young, talented wide receiver like Pickens. He'd be worth the risk for Las Vegas.
