Blogging The Boys
Here is how George Pickens can help the Cowboys
After months of anticipation and speculation, and a complete lack of moves during the 2025 NFL Draft, the Dallas Cowboys have finally added a viable starter at wide receiver opposite CeeDee Lamb.
They traded for Steelers receiver George Pickens on Wednesday, and the move already has fans divided. Our own RJ Ochoa broke down the pros and cons of the trade, and it’s easy to understand why one of the most controversial wide receivers in the NFL has provoked such a reaction.
No one is questioning the talent. Let’s start there.
Listed at 6’3”, Pickens is one of the tallest receivers in the league, and he plays like it. Nobody had more receptions on passes thrown 20+ yards downfield than Pickens last year, and the Steelers understood his value as a deep threat. Only nine other receivers ran a higher rate of go routes and deep fades.
That’s not all, though. Check out Pickens’ success rate by routes from his rookie year in 2022 to his second season.
Pickens remained elite on deep routes, but expanded his route tree efficiency. Per ESPN Analytics, Pickens posted a 48 open score as a rookie - open score measures a receiver’s ability to create separation on routes - but upped that figure to 70 in 2023 and 68 in 2024.
He’s also proven to be one of the best run-blocking wide receivers out there. Among full-time starters at the position, Pickens’ run blocking grade of 63.6 from Pro Football Focus ranked sixth, ahead of bigger names like A.J. Brown and Amon-Ra St. Brown.
That hints at the biggest concern for Pickens, though. He’s a great run blocker because he loves the physicality of the sport, but sometimes he loves it too much.
Pickens has garnered a reputation as a bit of a headcase, a ticking time bomb waiting to go off, with multiple explosions each season. He’s been rather public in the past about not getting enough targets, often stoked rumors that he wanted out of Pittsburgh, and got in numerous fights and squabbles with opponents; while Pickens has never been suspended, the NFL has handed down 10 fines over his three seasons totaling $123,989. Cowboys fans will surely remember one of those moments.
So how can Brian Schottenheimer, a first-time head coach, figure out Pickens’ strong personality when Mike Tomlin, of all people, couldn’t?
Well, as Schottenheimer himself said in his introductory press conference, he’s great with people. Look to his time in Seattle, in fact. Schottenheimer has already taken steps to implement similar things from Pete Carroll’s Seahawks dynasty, one of which includes being unafraid to bring in talented players with strong (or, as some may characterize it, volatile) personalities.
One such player was DK Metcalf, whose player profile is in many ways very similar to that of Pickens. Metcalf had a huge frame and great long speed with perhaps too much passion for getting physical with defenders. In fact, Metcalf -...
