The four-year contract, boasting an impressive new-money average of $33 million per year, cements DK Metcalf as the focal point of Mike Tomlin‘s Steelers passing game. However, with the spotlight now on Metcalf, a pressing question remains: What’s next for George Pickens?

“You better have a plan for getting value out of him,” NFL insider Mike Florio warned, channeling his inner Petyr Baelish. In Pittsburgh, that plan might involve tossing George Pickens—1,140-yard phenom and human highlight reel—over the Steel Curtain. Let’s start with the numbers because, in the NFL, love doesn’t pay the bills. Pickens, 23, is coming off back-to-back 900+ (2,841 career) yard seasons and a chef’s kiss 86-yard TD in 2023.

But Pittsburgh just dropped a nuke on their salary cap: DK Metcalf’s $33M/year deal. “The Seahawks never used DK Metcalf the way they could have or should have. The Steelers will need to make DK Metcalf the centerpiece of the offense to justify the $33 million a year. And you’ve got George Pickens entering a contract year—he’s not going to be the first option for a lot of these plays if they’re designing them to go to Metcalf to justify that contract. Pickens is going to want out,” Florio said. Translation: Pickens’ targets? About to vanish faster than a Primanti Bros. sandwich at a tailgate.

Pickens isn’t just stats. He’s vibes. The guy who made one-handed grabs look easier than parallel parking in a Smart Car. But at $3.4M in 2025—pocket change compared to Metcalf’s mega-deal—he’s stuck playing Robin to Metcalf’s Batman. “I wouldn’t be surprised if Pickens is gone by the end of the week because he’s got to look at this and say,” Florio imagines Pickens muttering. “If I’m going to have a contract year, I’m not going to have it as the second option on a team that’s trying to justify a huge contract for Metcalf. I want to go somewhere else.” Cue the Succession theme music—this is business, not personal.

Tomlin’s no stranger to tough calls (see: trading Chase Claypool for a second-rounder… who’s now bagging groceries). But losing Pickens? That’s like swapping out a Lambo for a minivan and hoping nobody notices the horsepower dip. The Wire’s Stringer Bell growled, “You wanna get it done, you gotta be ready to change.” Even if it hurts.

Bell further added, “Rich, he’s making about 10% this year of what DK Metcalf is making per year in new money. So something’s wrong with this picture. They’ve made it clear that Metcalf is the future. They’re never going to pay big money to two receivers, and they’re not going to suddenly become a pass-heavy team unless they fully commit to an Air Coryell approach with Aaron Rodgers and throw the ball all over the place.” So now the question is, does he wait it out and hope for scraps, or does he force the Steelers’ hand?

Because one thing’s certain—if he sticks around as the afterthought in someone else’s blueprint, he’s the only one who pays the price. While Coach Mike Tomlin’s Steelers face a cap crunch sharper than a Terrible Towel wave, they’ve swapped LB Elandon Roberts for Las Vegas slot machines. Grab your popcorn, Yinzer Nation: This off-season’s spicier than Primanti’s coleslaw.

Tomlin’s loss– From Steel City to Sin City

Meanwhile, Elandon Roberts—Pittsburgh’s run-stuffing mensch—just bolted for Vegas’ neon glow. The Raiders inked him to a $3M “prove it” deal because nothing says “Welcome to Vegas” like betting on a 31-year-old ‘backer with a 91 PFF run-defense grade (third-best in the NFL).

Roberts wasn’t flashy, but he was essential. In 2024, he racked 46 tackles and anchored a defense that held foes to 3.9 YPC. “He’s a force,” Steelers scribe Ari Meyer wrote after Roberts’s 14-tackle playoff swan song. But in today’s NFL, loyalty’s as fleeting as a slot machine jackpot. With rookie Payton Wilson waiting in the wings, Roberts became expendable—a cap casualty in shoulder pads.

For Vegas, Roberts is a Band-Aid on a bullet wound. They lost Robert Spillane (158 tackles in ‘24) to New England, and now they’re hoping Roberts’ “run through a [expletive]’s face” energy (his words, not ours) can patch the gaps. Good luck stopping Patrick Mahomes with duct tape and prayers.

The Steelers find themselves straddling two eras. Tomlin’s streak of 18 non-losing seasons hangs by a thread thinner than Big Ben’s hairline. Metcalf’s megadeal screams WIN NOW. But losing Pickens and Roberts feels like rebuilding with LEGOs on a trampoline. Yet, this is Pittsburgh—home of six Lombardis and the ‘Here We Go’ chant. They’ve survived QB carousels, Antonio Brown’s antics, and the ”Killer B’s” breakup.

As Pickens packs his cleats and Roberts hits the Strip, remember: Comfort doesn’t build the Steelers’ legacy. Grit, grind, and that unshakable Terrible Towel twirl. So, pour one out for the departed Steelers Nation. Winter’s coming, but in Pittsburgh, they’ve always known how to dance in the snow.