Blogging The Boys
Here are five reasons why the George Pickens trade makes sense for the Cowboys.
The Dallas Cowboys made the splashiest move they’ve made in years on Wednesday when they traded for Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver George Pickens. It was the icing on the cake for a team that has been very active in addressing weaknesses, as it was the last thing remaining on their offseason checklist. And it was a big one.
The Cowboys’ offense has suffered immensely when they’ve tried to rely on players like Allen Hurns, Noah Brown, or Jalen Tolbert to fill bigger shoes than they’re capable of, and each time, the front office has responded by making a trade for a new wide receiver. They’ve invested high draft capital for a young Amari Cooper, and much lower draft capital for the veteran Brandin Cooks. This time, they’ve split the difference and used a third-round pick to acquire Pickens.
Pickens is a good player, but he only has one year left on his rookie deal, and he comes with baggage, which is why the Cowboys got him for what they did. It has some people questioning just how excited they should be about this trade. There are many things to consider, but here are five things that should make you feel pretty good about this trade.
If there is a coach who can get the most out of a player, it’s the Pittsburgh Steelers' Mike Tomlin. No one should expect first-year head coach Brian Schottenheimer to have the magic touch that finally gets through to him. Pickens is what he is, and that’s a 1,000-yard receiver even in “headache” mode. He’s also in the last year of his rookie deal, so he’s the guy who has the most to gain by keeping his act together. The Cowboys should see the best version of him, and the likelihood of things going south seems low.
For the last few years, there’s been a lot of complaining about Cowboys’ receivers getting separation. Pickens isn’t going to change that. While he has some quickness out of his breaks, he’s not a skilled route-runner who constantly creates space. But that’s okay because he doesn’t need a lot of room to do what he does best, and that’s bringing down balls in traffic.
Pickens is one of the best contested pass-catchers in the league. He has elite body control and concentration. His catch radius is off the charts. Since the departure of Amari Cooper, Dak Prescott has been routinely asked to make tight window throws, and he’s one of the best in the game at throwing a catchable ball; however, what’s happened after that has not always worked out. With Pickens as a new target, Dak will benefit from a receiver who has made a career out of hauling in contested passes.
The Cowboys giving up a third-round draft...
