The Las Vegas Raiders have already upgraded one offensive position of need with an offseason trade for former Seattle Seahawks QB Geno Smith, and now rumors are spreading they’re looking to swing another big trade.
After finishing last season 27th in yards per game (303.2) and 29th in scoring (18.2 points per game), Raiders owner Mark Davis has sought the counsel of minority owner and seven-time Super Bowl champion Tom Brady in revamping the team’s offense.
Smith was the first domino to fall, and now thanks to a timely social media post from a young star wide receiver, fans are convinced Brady and the Raiders are on the hunt to find a new weapon to pair with 4,300-yard QB.
There has been plenty of conjecture that the Pittsburgh Steelers and Pickens are ready to move on from one another, and insider Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette even believes it’s a strong possibility it happens soon.
During one of his recent Wednesday Steelers chats, a fan asked Dulac when he expects Pittsburgh to trade Pickens. He responded emphatically with “2025.”
Las Vegas Raiders minority owner Tom Brady
Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
Pickens further fueled that speculation and turned a lot of heads on Tuesday when he posted a black and white photo of himself standing next to Brady on his Instagram story.
Fans flocked to social media to speculate that Pickens could be on his way out of Pittsburgh — something many analysts believe would be in the best interest for both parties.
“George Pickens to the Raiders? Looks like he’s ready to catch passes from a GOAT instead of a ghost!” one fan wrote.
“Pickens been dying to get off that Steelers team 😭😭. Bro ain’t say nothing to DK,” another stated.
“Please Brady, show him the way. Dude is too talented,” a third fan added.
“I would love this for that offense. Jakobi in the slot with Brock and Pickens? Yeah,” one user remarked.
“Makes sense cause Pickens attitude is something the Raiders like,” another user chimed in.
“Pickens was born to be a Raider or Eagle. No other team fits his style,” one fan exclaimed.
If the Raiders were to acquire Pickens, he would be an immediate upgrade to a relatively anemic wide receiver corps comprised of Jakobi Meyers (87 catches, 1,027 yards, five touchdowns in 2024), Tre Tucker (47 catches, 538 yards, three TDs) and DJ Turner (16 catches, 158 yards, one TD).
