Blogging The Boys
Cowboys fans feel pretty good about the George Pickens trade.
We’ve already covered on the site many times that the Dallas Cowboys front office was much more active in the roster-building phase this offseason than they had been recently. The sheer number of free agents and trades, combined with the draft class, gives the team a lot more options heading into 2025.
At one point, after the draft, it looked like the Cowboys might just be done with major acquisitions. But just a little while before the draft, Jerry Jones was quoted as saying the team had a couple of substantive deals they were working on. After the draft, one of those deals became known when the Cowboys couldn’t get their WR2 in the draft.
The Cowboys essentially sent a third-round pick for Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver George Pickens. CeeDee Lamb needed a running mate, and Pickens was brought on board. While Lamb is a smooth operator out of the slot who carves open defenses, Pickens is a deeper threat with an unworldly catch radius.
Cowboys fans liked the move. Really liked the move. In our recent poll, 93% of respondents rated it either an A or B move (60% A, 33% B). It’s rare that we see such unanimity in our polls.
There are reasons to feel good about the trade. The fit into the scheme and the talent are obvious. Pickens’ former QB, Russell Wilson, had this to say.
“I love George,” Wilson said. “His ability to catch the football is one of a kind. Anything in his vicinity, he’s gonna catch it. [...] He wants to be great, you know? I think, also, too, when it comes to George — his ability, where he can take it from not just being great, to being the world’s best, I think he has that in him.”
Bill Barnwell discussed his fit in Dallas.
Pickens is also going to get a massive upgrade at quarterback. For whatever flak Prescott gets for his weaknesses, he throws one of the most consistently accurate balls of any quarterback. His ball placement on slants, digs and back-shoulder throws, in particular, has been excellent over the past few years. Pickens is going to see plenty of those routes. With CeeDee Lamb operating out of the slot, the Cowboys have needed an “X” receiver since they moved on from Amari Cooper before the 2022 season. Between Cooper and Dez Bryant, Prescott had that big, physical receiver on the outside for most of his career. Pickens should be that guy.
The one downside is the contract situation with Pickens being in the last year of his current deal. Still, the Cowboys are willing to gamble because of the real ability Pickens brings to the offense. Over at FanDuel, they have his o/u for yards receiving this season at 900.5 yards. If Pickens gets into that range, and Lamb has his regular year, the Cowboys passing attack will be lethal.
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