Antonio Brown had a career high 15 receiving touchdowns in 2018, his last year in Pittsburgh, when he was still starting 15 games a season.
After Pittsburgh, he started a total of seven games in three years in New England and Tampa Bay before retiring.
Chase Claypool posted 13 touchdowns in two full seasons in Pittsburgh before they traded him away in 2022, still on his rookie deal.
After Pittsburgh, he started a total of five games in 2.5 seasons, with a total of 1 touchdown, and didn't post a single stat last year.
Diontae Johnson was with the Steelers for five full seasons, catching 25 touchdowns through 2023.
After Pittsburgh, he played his way through three teams in just 2024 alone, the Panthers, Ravens, and Texans.
Now he's on the Browns.
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JuJu Smith-Schuster was with the Steelers for five full seasons, catching 26 touchdowns through 2021.
After Pittsburgh, he played on three teams in three years, averaging 2 touchdowns a season.
A decade earlier, the Steelers got 17 touchdowns in three years with Martavius Bryant.
After Pittsburgh, he did not catch a single touchdown and was out of the NFL after one more season.
So, the history of ex-Steelers receivers is not great, but that does not mean the George Pickens draft will be a disaster for the Cowboys.
If everything else doesn't explode, from an on-field football perspective, this could work.
We know how Pickens excels at snagging deep targets.
He is a contested catch monster.
In the last two seasons, Dak Prescott has thrown the #2 most 15+ yard go balls.
He likes throwing deep.
He has the #3 best accuracy on these passes.
As a result, he has the #1 most completions and #1 most yards on 15+ yard go routes in the NFL over the last three seasons.
Dak Prescott over the last two years:
#1 most passing yards on 15+ yard go routes
#2 most attempts on 15+ yard go routes
George Pickens over the last two years:
#1 most receiving yards on 15+ yard go routes
#2 most catches on 15+ yard go routes
Pickens on the outside allows CeeDee Lamb to work more from the slot.
I think it helps open up the Cowboys offense.
Here's the question: Pickens is owed a new contract after this season.
He's going to want his stats.
If he's not getting them in Dallas, because either Lamb is or they're running too much, how is he mentally on the back half of the season?
Regardless, it's going to be fun to watch this play out.