Ranking the WR duos in AFC North after the Steelers trade George Pickens to the Cowboys
Where does Baltimore, Cincinnati land in a ranking of the wide receiver duos in the AFC North after the Cowboys acquire wide receiver George Pickens from the Steelers
The NFL is truly an arms race, and the only thing more important than having an elite quarterback is top-tier wide receivers to catch his passes. In a move that’ll certainly impact the NFC East, AFC North, and the entire league, the Cowboys are working to finalize a trade that would send Steelers wide receiver George Pickens to Dallas for draft picks.
According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the trade between Pittsburgh and Dallas is expected to include a third-round pick and other pick swaps.
Pickens’ potential was a big reason he was a second-round pick back in 2022, and the move would give Dallas a bona fide No. 2 wide receiver to pair with All-Pro Ceedee Lamb. The writing was on the wall after Pittsburgh acquired D.K. Metcalf in a trade with the Seahawks.
With the move set to be completed, we’re ranking the wide receiver duos in the super-competitive AFC North.
The Browns addressed multiple needs this offseason through free agency, trades, or the draft. However, despite several moves made at the position, wide receiver is a sore spot. Last season, Jeudy had arguably his best NFL season after logging 145 targets, 90 catches, 1,229 yards, and four touchdowns in 17 games. Last season, Cedric Tillman had 49 targets, 39 catches, 339 yards, and two touchdowns in 11 games.
Metcalf was drafted by the Seahawks in the second round of the 2019 NFL Draft and spent the last six seasons in Seattle.
In those six seasons, he has appeared in 97 games, starting 93 of them, and has 438 receptions for 6,324 yards, a 14.4-yard average, and 48 touchdowns, ranking eighth-most among NFL players. He has three touchdowns longer than 70 yards, including a career-long 84-yard touchdown.
With the Pickens trade, Robert Woods, Roman Wilson, and Calvin Austin III are in line to start.
In 2024, Flowers had a team-high 73 receptions and four touchdowns, and his 1,047 receiving yards were the sixth-most in the AFC during the regular season. However, a knee injury in Week 18 against the Browns sidelined him for the Ravens’ postseason run. Flowers’ 19 catches of 20 or more yards tied for fourth among receivers this season, and his 6.3 yards after the catch average ranked in the 85th percentile at his position. His five 100-yard games also tied for first in the NFL.
Bateman caught four of five targets for 66 yards and a touchdown in the Ravens’ 27-25 divisional-round loss to the Bills. Overall, it was his most impactful regular season since getting drafted by Baltimore with career highs in receiving yards (756) and touchdowns (nine) on the second-highest catch total of his career (45) across 17 games. Bateman is signed through the 2026 season.
The Bengals shelled out eight years and $276 million to their wide receiver duo. Ja’Marr gets a 4-year deal worth $161 million with $112 million guaranteed, making him the highest-paid non-quarterback in NFL history. Higgins gets a 4-year deal worth $115 million with the first two years guaranteed, making him the highest-paid wide receiver in NFL history.
This past season, Chase became the fifth player since the merger to lead the NFL in receptions, receiving yards, and touchdown catches in the same season. Chase caught 127 of his 175 targets for 1,708 yards and 17 touchdowns.
The 26-year-old Higgins caught 73 of 109 targets for 911 yards and 10 touchdowns over 12 regular-season games in 2024, and after the contract extension, he will remain a Bengal for the foreseeable future.
