Dallas Cowboys Make the Splash Trade of the Offseason

Wednesday morning, before the sun even came up, Jerry Jones did the unimaginable.

The Dallas Cowboys acquired three-year veteran wide receiver George Pickens from the Pittsburgh Steelers in exchange for a 2026 third-round pick and a swap of fifth- and sixth-round picks.

Ironically enough, just yesterday I had an article ready to go for today titled “Dallas Cowboys Still Lacking Receiver Depth After the Draft”. 

And in a matter of hours, the Cowboys’ receiver corps looks not only serviceable, but potentially very dangerous. 

Initial Thoughts

The Cowboys had been linked to both George Pickens and Courtland Sutton from Denver in the month or so leading up to the draft, but those rumors seemed to fade.

After Dallas didn’t select a single receiver in the draft, it seemed like they were content with their current group. But to my surprise, they had this move up their sleeve.

Have to give credit where credit is due, this is a fantastic move by the Cowboys’ front office.

Waking up to alerts from ESPN’s Adam Schefter and NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport felt like Christmas morning as a kid.

The entire Cowboys fanbase has been pleading for CeeDee Lamb to get a partner in crime and for Dak Prescott to have another weapon, and while it took longer than expected this offseason, it finally happened.

Pickens in Pittsburgh 

Pickens has dealt with a revolving door at quarterback throughout his first three seasons in the league.

In Pittsburgh, Pickens has caught passes from a rotating cast of quarterbacks, which includes Kenny Pickett, Mitch Trubisky, Mason Rudolph, Justin Fields, and a past-his-prime Russell Wilson.

It’s safe to say he hasn’t had an elite quarterback throwing him the ball, yet he’s still managed to put up WR1 numbers. He recorded 2,841 yards and 12 touchdowns on 174 receptions in his time as a Steeler.

The Steelers’ offense has been lackluster year after year, with no bright spots outside of Pickens.

Sure, he may have some attitude concerns, but Jerry Jones and the Cowboys have managed to handle plenty of strong personalities over the years and have generally figured it out.

If that’s the biggest concern, the Cowboys will gladly manage it, as long as he remains productive on the field without disrupting the locker room.

As the saying goes, “Winning fixes everything.”

What does this move do moving forward for Dallas?

The Cowboys’ receiver room, outside of Lamb, was arguably the worst in the NFL. 

That’s not a slight to anyone on the roster, but no receiver on the roster has recorded 1,000 career yards in the NFL, while Lamb himself has surpassed the 1,000-yard mark in each of the last four seasons.

With the acquisition of Pickens, it instantly makes this offense something to be excited about as a fan.

A lot of attention will be drawn off Lamb because Pickens is such a deep-ball threat and an overall playmaker. 

In 2024, Pickens ranked first in the NFL in deep-target categories, including receiving grade (99.9), catches (17), and yards (577).

Lamb hasn’t had a true WR2 next to him since Amari Cooper in the 2021 season.

This trade opens up an offense that previously struggled to push the ball downfield with a lack of talent on the outside. 

It also allows Jalen Tolbert or Jonathan Mingo to move into the WR3 spot, which both are more fitted for rather than WR2 duties.  

More in the passing game, Jake Ferguson, coming off a down year, should have a better season now that he’s fully healthy and with Dak Prescott back from injury.

In the backfield, Javonte Williams, Miles Sanders, and rookie Jayden Blue will all compete for touches, but with Pickens stretching the field, the ground game should open up.  

All in all, this move should be a difference-maker for the Cowboys in 2025 and potentially well beyond.

With Lamb and Pickens outside, dare I say, this can very well be the best receiver duo in the NFL.

Unreleased Article

In my unreleased article discussing the Cowboys’ lack of receiver depth, I pointed out how the front office had neglected the position throughout both free agency and the draft.

It was a clear need, but who knew Jerry had a move like this up his sleeve just two weeks after the draft?

I was surprised the Cowboys selected offensive lineman Tyler Booker from Alabama in the first round, even though my favorite wide receiver prospect, Tetairoa McMillan, was already off the board.

I thought they should’ve traded back to acquire draft capital along with Texas’s Matthew Golden or Ohio State’s Emeka Egbuka, but that didn’t happen. 

Instead, Jerry and company signed undrafted rookies Traeshon Holden from Oregon and Josh Kelly from Texas Tech.

That’s been the Cowboys’ MO—buy low and hope it turns into something special.

Holden’s strengths lie in his size, ability to make contested catches, and exceptional run blocking. However, he struggles with creating separation and lacks the ability to make big plays after the catch.

While Kelly is a good route runner, he struggles with separation, a glaring issue already present in the Cowboys’ receiving room, and he posted a 4.7-second 40-yard dash at the Combine.

Both undrafted rookies will have their work set out for them if they want to make the team in 2025. 

On the team currently, I didn’t think Tolbert or Mingo were enough to go into the season as WR2.

After getting traded to Dallas at the deadline, he recorded five receptions on 16 targets for 46 yards in eight games.

The productive simply wasn’t there for someone you traded for a fourth-rounder.

Hopefully Mingo surprises some people with a breakout season.

I also noted that the Cowboys should consider signing either Amari Cooper or Keenan Allen, the two biggest remaining free agents on the market.

Now, I’m 99.99% certain the Cowboys won’t look elsewhere for more receiver depth—they’re confident in what they have, and that’s respectable.

Final Thoughts

It may have taken longer than most fans and I wanted it to, but the Cowboys now have their WR2.

It’s unclear whether the Cowboys will extend Pickens before the season, but he’ll be motivated to prove he deserves a payday with his performance on the field.

In the past, I always viewed Pickens as a true number two receiver, but with no clear WR1 in Pittsburgh, he was forced to step into that role.

I truly believe he’ll thrive in his new role, going up against teams’ number two corners and seeing fewer double coverages.

I hope this is more than a one-year rental, given they gave up next year’s third-round pick. 

It feels like every offseason, just when the Cowboys let me down, they make a move that pulls me right back in.

It’ll be exciting to see the energy and attitude Pickens brings to a team that’s been in desperate need of more dogs.

So, how do you think the George Pickens trade will play out?

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