In 2022, the Dallas Cowboys committed a sin that fans weren’t quick to forgive. Trading wide receiver Amari Cooper to the Cleveland Browns for a fifth-round pick left quarterback Dak Prescott without a second star receiver.
The Cowboys took that strength for granted, and it cost them.
Shortly after the 2025 NFL Draft, Dallas finally rectified the issue, trading a 2026 third-round pick and a 2027 Day 3 pick swap to the Pittsburgh Steelers for receiver George Pickens.
Dak Prescott preparing for life with newest weapon
Few stand to benefit more from Pickens’ arrival than quarterback Dak Prescott. He nearly won an MVP in 2023, despite Cooper’s absence, but found himself bounced in the Wild Card Round after the Green Bay Packers pantsed Dallas’ aggressive defense.
The Cowboys’ offense couldn’t keep up, and in 2024, it fell apart. Prescott was operating below his career norms, including a personal-worst touchdown percentage, and the offense never really got off the ground. Before he could get hot and put a cold first half behind him, his season was cut short by injury.
Several people played a role in Dallas falling short, including Prescott. Head coach Mike McCarthy was fired, the running game badly missed Tony Pollard, the offensive line required another first-round investment in April, and aside from CeeDee Lamb, defenses didn’t have legitimate pass-catchers to worry about.
Pickens solves that last issue, and he’s one of the biggest reasons why Dallas is primed to rebound in 2025.
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“Go turn on that guy’s tape,” Prescott said, via the team’s website. “He’s getting separation. He’s got separation even when he’s not getting the ball at times, and when he doesn’t have separation, he’s still making catches. It’s not going to be hard.
“For me, it’s about getting the ball near that guy and he will be George Pickens. Go turn on the tape — he’s great at doing it.”
Pickens is at his best in contested-catch situations downfield. He adds a vertical element to the offense that didn’t exist in 2024, allowing Dallas to take advantage of Prescott’s aggressiveness and deep accuracy.
With Pickens winning on the perimeter and stretching the field, there’s even more room for Lamb to do what he does best — win over the middle of the field. His after-the-catch skills stand out, and with a viable threat taking some attention away from him, he figures to be weaponized in 2025.
Pickens is the ideal stylistic complement to Lamb and the type of playmaker the Cowboys have missed. Having two quality options is one thing; having them make each other better is another. There’s more than enough room for both in this offense, and with a quarterback capable of putting up elite numbers, fireworks should be in order.
Prescott doesn’t plan on letting that opportunity slip away.
“To be the guy that gets them the ball, it’s exciting as hell.”
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