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NFL

? Our grades for the George Pickens trade

  • Seth WalderMay 7, 2025, 10:15 AM ET

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      Seth Walder is an analytics writer at ESPN, specializing in quantitative analysis. He is also a regular on “ESPN Bet Live” and helps cover sports betting. Seth has been at ESPN since 2017. He previously worked at the New York Daily News covering the Jets and Giants. You can follow Seth on X via @SethWalder.

The Dallas Cowboys made a big splash on Wednesday morning, agreeing to a trade for wide receiver George Pickens. They will send a 2026 third-round pick and a 2027 fifth-round pick to the Pittsburgh Steelers for Pickens and a 2027 sixth-round pick.

The Cowboys had been searching for a legit WR2 alongside CeeDee Lamb, and Pickens should elevate their offense. But is Pickens definitely the answer for Dallas? And did Pittsburgh get enough back in return?

Let’s grade both sides. Who actually won the deal? I’m evaluating the trade based on multiple factors, including on-field impact, overall value for each side, salary cap implications, and the context of each team’s short- and long-term QB outlooks.

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So, on paper, this move makes plenty of sense for the Cowboys. As poorly as 2024 went for this team, the roster still has the same core as the one that went 12-5 in 2023 (albeit with a different coach) and had a major weakness at receiver after Lamb. To give up a shade more than a third-round pick for one year of Pickens is reasonable, considering how much less it will cost the Cowboys (under $3.4 million) than if he were on the open market.

But this move is not made only on paper. A big part of the reason Pickens is available is it seems the Steelers had had enough of him. After Pickens had two unsportsmanlike penalties against the Bengals last season, Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said, “He’s got a target on his back because he’s George; he understands that. But he’s got to grow up. He’s got to grow up in a hurry.” Then, after the season, Tomlin said, “There’s certainly obviously more room for growth there.” Earlier in the season, there were questions over Pickens’ effort, too, though Tomlin dismissed those concerns at the time.

The risk here is mitigated by the one-year commitment, and if I were the Cowboys, I would want to keep it that way. They should let him play out the season and probably let him walk next offseason in exchange for the possibility of a compensatory pick. If Dallas signs Pickens to an extension before the 2025 season, I would substantially reduce its grade here.

For the Steelers, this is good compensation. The league widely knew they wanted to move on from Pickens, and they still got a Day 2 pick back.

Pittsburgh already acquired Pickens’ replacement in DK Metcalf earlier this offseason. While the two wideouts could have played together, there’s an obvious overlap in their styles, and it certainly appears that the Metcalf acquisition was in anticipation of losing Pickens. However, the Steelers once again have a receiver problem. Behind Metcalf on the depth chart are Calvin Austin III, Robert Woods and Roman Wilson.

The last piece of the puzzle is how this relates to Aaron Rodgers. Without a second receiver next to Metcalf, Pittsburgh is that much further from being an immediate contender. That makes bringing in Rodgers a little harder to justify — even if the Steelers’ options at QB are extremely limited with the draft in the rearview mirror. Perhaps Kirk Cousins could be another route?

Grade for the Cowboys: B-

Grade for the Steelers: B+

NFL

Rams will be holding mandatory minicamp in Maui

  • Sarah BarshopMay 7, 2025, 05:53 PM ET

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      Sarah Barshop covers the Los Angeles Rams for ESPN. She joined ESPN in 2016 to cover the Green Bay Packers for ESPN Milwaukee. She then moved to Houston to cover the Texans. She came to ESPN after working as a writer and editor for Sports Illustrated.

LOS ANGELES — The Los Angeles Rams will be holding their mandatory minicamp in Maui, the team announced Wednesday.

The Rams will hold that portion of their offseason program on June 16-18 at War Memorial Stadium in Wailuku.

The announcement was made by Rams team president Kevin Demoff and Hawaii Governor Josh Green at Los Angeles’ practice facility in Woodland Hills, Calif, where the rest of the Rams’ offseason program will take place.

Along with their on-field activities, Rams players and staff will host a girls flag football and boys football clinic for 400 local student-athletes at War Memorial Stadium. Rams players and staff will also join Habitat for Humanity to assist in the rebuilding of four homes in Lahaina.

After the Maui wildfires in August 2023, the Rams raised money during a preseason game to help those affected by the fires.

“Our state went through a very, very tragic and tough circumstance in 2023,” Green said “…The Rams stepped up and they ran their M?lama, which means care, campaign for us, and brought incredible resources to help us heal.”

NFL

Fans vote ex-WR Edelman into Pats Hall of Fame

  • Mike ReissMay 5, 2025, 11:29 AM ET

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      Mike Reiss is an NFL reporter at ESPN and covers the New England Patriots. Reiss has covered the Patriots since 1997 and joined ESPN in 2009. In 2019, he was named Massachusetts Sportswriter of the Year by the National Sports Media Association.

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — Julian Edelman was voted by fans as a 2025 inductee into the Patriots Hall of Fame, the team announced Monday.

Edelman spent his entire 12-year career with the Patriots, joining the franchise as a seventh-round pick out of Kent State in 2009 and becoming a key cog in three Super Bowl championship teams after switching from college quarterback to NFL wide receiver.

.@Edelman11 did it all.

Welcome to @TheHall JE11. pic.twitter.com/1gpX59QUGS

— New England Patriots (@Patriots) May 5, 2025

This was Edelman’s first year of eligibility for the Patriots Hall of Fame, which requires a player to be retired for at least four seasons. A Patriots Hall of Fame committee composed of media members, former players and coaches, and team-based media staffers named him a finalist alongside kicker Adam Vinatieri (1996-2005) and offensive lineman Logan Mankins (2005-13).

Of the finalists chosen by the Patriots Hall of Fame committee, a fan vote over multiple weeks then determines one inductee since the process was instituted in 2007.

“Julian Edelman is one of the great success stories in our franchise’s history,” owner Robert Kraft said in a statement. “There aren’t many players who earn an NFL roster spot at a position they have never played before. Julian not only did that as a seventh-round draft selection, but he finished his career with the second-most receptions in franchise history [620] and as a three-time Super Bowl champion, including his last as Super Bowl MVP.

“No one was more committed to his craft and honing his skills than Jules. His explosiveness off the line, quickness in his cuts and elusiveness after the catch made him one of the hardest players to defend. His clutch catches in our biggest games and overall toughness made him a fan favorite.”

Edelman posted to X Monday that he was “honored and grateful.” The post included a video of him calling his father to share the news.

Honored and grateful #FoxboroForever @patriots pic.twitter.com/zTz9cgGbQN

— Julian Edelman (@Edelman11) May 5, 2025

Former Patriots coach Bill Belichick had the foresight to project that Edelman — who finished his Kent State career with 4,997 passing yards and 2,664 rushing yards over 31 games — could transition to receiver and punt returner in the NFL. That led the Patriots to select him with pick No. 232 of the 256-pick draft in 2009.

Edelman’s transition wasn’t seamless, however. In his first training camp, he struggled to catch punts and was booed by fans at one point.

Edelman was more of a niche player in his first four seasons in the NFL — totaling 69 receptions for 714 yards and four touchdowns — before breaking through in 2013 with a 105-catch, 1,056-yard season as quarterback Tom Brady’s go-to target.

His career took off from there, with arguably his greatest play coming in the team’s 34-28 comeback win over the Atlanta Falcons in Super Bowl LI with a sensational tipped-ball diving catch late in the fourth quarter.

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The play reflected how Edelman, as Kraft noted, was one of the Patriots’ most clutch performers. He ranks third in NFL history with 118 postseason receptions, behind Travis Kelce (178) and Jerry Rice (151). His 1,442 postseason receiving yards also ranks third all-time, behind Rice (2,245) and Kelce (2,078).

In the Patriots’ 13-3 win over the Los Angeles Rams in Super Bowl LIII, he was named MVP after finishing with 10 receptions for 141 yards.

While Edelman is widely viewed as worthy of the Patriots Hall of Fame honor, his selection by fans over Vinatieri — who was also in his first year of eligibility after the 2024 voting process was tabled to induct Brady — is likely to spark debate on how much influence fans should have in selecting the inductee.

Like Edelman, Vinatieri was part of three Super Bowl championship teams in New England (2001, 2003, 2004) and his “Snow Bowl” kick in a divisional-round win over the Raiders on Jan. 19, 2002, is considered by some to be the greatest kick in NFL history — a play many view as the official beginning of what led to the Patriots’ dynastic run that included six Super Bowls.

Vinatieri, who went on to play for the Indianapolis Colts (2006-19) when the Patriots didn’t offer him a comparable long-term contract after using the franchise tag on him in successive years, was also a finalist for the Pro Football Hall of Fame this year in his first year of eligibility.

Edelman will be joined by former coach Bill Parcells (1993-96) as this year’s inductees into the Patriots Hall of Fame. Kraft used his standing as owner to put Parcells into the Hall of Fame as a contributor after he had been voted a finalist five times.

NFL

Saquon Barkley arrives in style at 2025 Met Gala

The 2025 Met Gala has officially kicked off in New York City, and some of the biggest sports stars are in attendance.

To the theme of “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style,” Lewis Hamilton, Saquon Barkley and Breanna Stewart have already put their most fashionable feet forward.

Athletes have made headlines at the annual fundraising event in previous years, and this year’s gala features a strong presence behind the scenes. LeBron James (who will not be in attendance) is an honorary chair, Hamilton is a co-chair and Angel Reese, Sha’Carri Richardson, Simone Biles and Jonathan Owens are on the host committee.

Here are the best looks and moments from this year’s Met Gala.

Lewis Hamilton arrives

Theo Wargo/FilmMagic

Saquon Barkley is in attendance

Saquon Barkley has arrived at the

Sabrina Ionescu has arrived at the 2025 Met Gala ? pic.twitter.com/g7xnyYkotW

— WNBA (@WNBA) May 5, 2025


Breanna Stewart arrives

Breanna Stewart ? Met Gala

The New York Liberty are showing out tonight! pic.twitter.com/FSyC9NR1t1

— WNBA (@WNBA) May 5, 2025


Former NBA All-Star Norm Nixon is in the house

Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images

Venus Williams is in attendance

Theo Wargo/FilmMagic

Simone Biles attends her second Met

Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images

Jonathan Owens arrives in style

Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images
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