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It’s not rocket science to see that Dallas Cowboys receiver George Pickens has made a big difference. And Dak Prescott wants him to stick around. Furthermore, the result of the Pickens trade could eventually bring the 2026 Super Bowl to the Cowboys and end Mike Tomlin’s coaching tenure with the Steelers.
Pickens shredded the Eagles’ so-called great defense for 146 yards on nine catches with a touchdown on Sunday. The Cowboys overcame a three-touchdown deficit and earned a 24-21 win that kept their playoff hopes alive.
To be sure, the Cowboys aren’t seriously in the Super Bowl conversation this year. Unless they run the table for the rest of the regular season. However, they can position themselves as a top-three pick for the 2026 season Super Bowl.
And with every step they take, it makes Tomlin look worse.
The Steelers are in the middle of a free-fall collapse that once saw them hold nearly a four-game lead over the Ravens. Now the teams are tied.
Would this be the same scenario if they still had Pickens to pair with D.K. Metcalf? It seems very unlikely.
From numerous reports, Tomlin couldn’t get along with Pickens. Tough. Make it work. If the Steelers miss the playoffs this year, Tomlin should be sent packing. He hasn’t been able to get his team a postseason win in almost a decade. With Aaron Rodgers at quarterback and injuries to Joe Burrow and Lamar Jackson, the Steelers should win the AFC North. However, they have allowed the Ravens to stick around.
Certainly, the Steelers could still win the division. But if they don’t, it’s 95% on the shoulders of Tomlin for not finding a way to make things work with Pickens.
It’s painfully obvious to Steelers fans that Cowboys owner Jerry Jones fleeced them for Pickens. Although the trade also included a meaningless late-round swap in 2027, the Cowboys basically got Pickens for a third-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.
And unless the Steelers somehow pick the next Pickens in the third round — which is extremely unlikely— the Cowboys will be laughing all the way to a return to NFL glory in 2026.
Of course, that’s assuming the Cowboys keep Pickens. But the only thing worse than the Steelers’ trade would be if the Cowboys don’t apply the franchise tag. At $28 million, Pickens would be a bargain for 2026. That’s especially true when you compare him to a guy like Terry McLaurin, who robbed the Commanders for $96 million over three years before providing next to nothing for the team in 2025 because of injuries and lackluster play.
As a side note, this is why most NFL writers should only be called experts with quotation marks around the word. This is what ESPN’s Seth Walder offered up about the trade of Pickens back in May.
Grade for the Cowboys: B-
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