The Dallas Cowboys made an exciting move this past week, acquiring former Pittsburgh Steelers wideout George Pickens in exchange for a third-round pick and a Day 3 pick swap. The Cowboys were certainly in the market for some help at wide receiver, and they believe they added a playmaker who can be more than just a complementary piece for CeeDee Lamb.
"He's just a dynamic receiver," Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones said, via SI.com. "Everybody says we're looking for a [number] two. I mean, George can be a one. He's got that type of talent. He's got unbelievable ball-tracking ability. He's got plenty of juice and he's a fiery competitor. And we love that, he plays with an edge, and we think he'd be a good fit for our team."
Some teams may be put off by Pickens' "fire," as it sometimes manifests itself in the form of 15-yard penalties, but not the Cowboys. They think his play can reach another level in Dallas.
In 2024, Pickens caught 59 passes for 900 yards and three touchdowns over 14 games. The 24-year-old wideout caught 12 passes of 30-plus air yards last season, which were the second-most recorded since the statistic was first tracked in 2006. Pickens can be a legitimate deep-ball threat for Dak Prescott, as he even led the league in yards per reception (18.1) in 2023. His 2,841 receiving yards over 48 career games are also the third-most recorded by any Steelers wideout in their first three seasons.
The Cowboys are hoping they put together one of the best WR duos in the NFL with this acquisition, and they have faith that Pickens can be more than just Lamb's No. 2.
