Dallas went and got their guy.
In the run-up to the 2025 NFL Draft, Dallas Cowboys Owner and General Manager Jerry Jones teased that the Cowboys had a couple of potential trades lined up.
The draft came and went without the Cowboys making any groundbreaking moves.
While it was a successful three days in Green Bay for the Cowboys, there were still a couple of glaring holes on the roster. One of those being a number two wide receiver to pair with CeeDee Lamb.
Grabbing the headlines
Then seemingly out of nowhere, last week the Cowboys struck a deal with the Pittsburgh Steelers to trade for wide receiver George Pickens.
A blockbuster trade in the post-draft, pre-schedule release lull that propelled the Cowboys to where Jerry Jones loves them to be, the top of the news cycle.
I am often extremely critical of the leadership of the Cowboys, but I must give credit when it is due, this move is a tremendous piece of business.
It is a one-year rental for the Cowboys that has cost a 2026 third-round pick. Pickens has show enough in his first three seasons in the NFL for someone else to give him a shot on enough money in 2026 for Dallas to get a compensation pick back in the 2026 Draft should Pickens move on.
While it is not a completely risk-free move for the Cowboys, I see it as minimal risk with huge upside.
Upgrade for all parties
Pickens has gone for 800+ yards at an average of 16.3 yards a catch in three seasons as the Steelers’ main receiving threat catching passes from – wait for it – Kenny Pickett, Mitchell Trubisky, Mason Rudolph, Justin Fields and Russell Wilson.
While Wilson still has a pretty moonball, Dak Prescott is a huge upgrade on the quarterbacks that Pickens has worked with.
Pickens is one of the best contested catch receivers in the league and he is going to get plenty of opportunities to show this, as Prescott is one of the better deep ball passers in the NFL.
Given the attention defenses need to give CeeDee Lamb, Pickens is going to see more favourable coverages and one-on-one match-ups than in Pittsburgh. Prescott should take advantage of these and give Pickens the opportunity to shine.
The Cowboys have needed to fill this hole for a while now. Brandin Cooks did not deliver in the role as hoped and injuries sadly derailed Michael Gallup’s once promising career.
Temper tantrums
There are concerns with Pickens’ previous on-field antics and he has laundry list of fines from the NFL. The time for Pickens to mature is now, he is playing for what could be a huge contract with the Cowboys, or somebody else in 2026 and beyond.
Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin does not usually give up on these colourful wide receivers so easily. It will be interesting to see how rookie Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer deals with Pickens, should the antics continue.
Adding Pickens to the elite Lamb, electric KaVonte Turpin and a resurgent Jake Ferguson gives the Cowboys wide variety in their passing attack.
His addition should give Prescott more consistent options and cause defenses across the NFL sleepless nights when game planning against Dallas.
