The Pittsburgh Steelers have been heavily tied to wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk in NFL trade rumors, making an all-out push to land the second-team All-Pro as a No. 1 receiver for the offense. Meanwhile, George Pickens is trying to prove he can play that role for Pittsburgh.

Pickens, the 52nd overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, has experienced his share of ups and downs early in his career. From minor clashes with the organization to his first 1,000-yard season in 2023, the 6-foot-3 receiver has always shown promise.

• George Pickens stats (ESPN): 63 receptions, 1,140 receiving yards, 5 touchdowns in 17 games

For Pittsburgh, Aiyuk represents the opportunity to add a game-changing player who could be the focal point in offensive coordinator Arthur Smith’s passing game. Acquiring him and making him one of the highest-paid NFL players would also mean shifting Pickens into a secondary role.

However, that doesn’t appear to be an indictment on Pickens’ long-term future with Pittsburgh. In fact, the Steelers front office seems to have a plan for significant spending at wide receiver in the years to come.

According to Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, acquiring Aiyuk wouldn’t change how Pittsburgh views Pickens. The Steelers front office and coaching staff would still identify him as their No. 1 receiver and they “intend to pay him accordingly” when the time comes.

• George Pickens contract (Spotrac): $1.841 million cap hit in 2024, $1.625 million salary in 2025, NFL free agent in 2026

The beauty of the situation for Pittsburgh is that they don’t even have to address a long-term deal for two years. Pickens won’t hit NFL free agency until 2026 and the Steelers could use the franchise tag to prevent him from hitting the open market. Whether the Steelers trade multiple draft picks for Aiyuk and then sign him to a record-setting extension for the franchise or not, Pickens is in the Steelers’ future plans.