Pittsburgh, PA – May 7, 2025
The Pittsburgh Steelers made a bold move, signing former Buffalo Bills wide receiver Gabe Davis to a one-year, $6 million deal, sources told ESPN’s Adam Schefter. The signing comes hours after trading George Pickens to the Dallas Cowboys, aiming to fill the void with Davis’s deep-threat prowess.
The Steelers sent Pickens, their 2024 leading receiver (900 yards), and a 2027 sixth-round pick to Dallas for a 2026 third-rounder and a 2027 fifth-rounder, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. Davis, a 2020 fourth-round pick, brings 2,730 career yards and 27 touchdowns from his Bills tenure, offering a familiar big-play style.
“Davis is a proven playmaker,” coach Mike Tomlin told Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. “He’ll spark our offense post-Pickens.”
Davis, 26, mirrors Pickens’s skillset, averaging 16.7 yards per catch with the Bills, close to Pickens’s 16.3. His 2021 playoff masterpiece—201 yards, four touchdowns against Kansas City—echoes Pickens’s contested-catch flair (18.1 yards per catch, 2023). However, Davis’s 8.3% drop rate exceeds Pickens’s 6.2%, a concern for consistency.
Released by Jacksonville after a meniscus injury limited him to 239 yards in 2024, Davis joins DK Metcalf (acquired from Seattle) and Calvin Austin III (548 yards, 2024) in a revamped Steelers receiver room. With quarterback uncertainty—awaiting Aaron Rodgers’s decision—Davis’s experience catching passes from Josh Allen could stabilize the offense.
“He’s a clutch performer,” said NFL Network’s Bucky Brooks. “Davis keeps the Steelers dangerous.”
The Steelers’ $15.7 million cap, bolstered by Pickens’s trade, absorbs Davis’s deal. Unlike Pickens’s off-field issues (unsportsmanlike penalties, tardiness), Davis’s leadership as a 2023 Bills captain aligns with Tomlin’s culture. His durability—missing just one game in four seasons—contrasts Pickens’s 2024 hamstring woes.
