The Green Bay Packers desperately need to upgrade the wide receiver room this offseason, as the team doesn’t have a bonafide No.1 receiving option for quarterback Jordan Love and lacks experience in the position group.

General manager Brian Gutekunst could address the pressing need in April’s draft, but Pro Football Network’s Sterling Xie predicts the Packers will search the trade market and acquire George Pickens from the Pittsburgh Steelers.

“Whether or not the Green Bay Packers need a true No. 1 receiver, they need a more well-rounded receiver room. That includes finding a pass catcher capable of stretching the defense vertically and beating man coverage. George Pickens would be a risky solution to that problem but could considerably raise the Packers’ ceiling,” Xie wrote.

“A framework for a deal could mimic when the Cardinals acquired Hollywood Brown from the Ravens in 2022, giving up a first-rounder and getting a third in return. Brown had a fifth-year option and fewer off-field questions, so the draft pick exchange for Pickens might bump to a second-rounder and fourth-rounder. The mercurial receiver is undoubtedly a risk, but Green Bay could sever ties after one year if the fit doesn’t work,” Xie added.

There’s no denying Pickens’ talent, as the 24-year-old is one of the most dynamic young receivers in football and has all the tools to be an All-Pro player in the future. However, there’s a chance the Steelers will look to move on from him this offseason due to his behavior issues on and off the field and contract situation.

Pickens is entering the final year of his rookie deal, and general manager Omar Khan could move on from the former Georgia standout instead of giving him a lucrative extension.

If Pickens lands on the trade market, Green Bay should aggressively pursue the former Day 2 pick. Pickens would immediately step in as the team’s primary receiving threat and give Love an explosive playmaker who excels in contested catch situations.

Trading for Pickens does come with some risk for the Packers, as the franchise would have to give up premium draft capital for the star receiver and also hand him a long-term contract extension. Spotrac projects Pickens’ second contract will be worth $94 million over four years, which averages to $23.6 million annually.

Overall, George Pickens will likely stay in Pittsburgh for the 2025 season, as the Steelers are incredibly thin at wide receiver and shouldn’t give up on him just yet. However, the Packers would be an ideal landing spot if the 2022 second-round pick is moved this offseason.