While the Pittsburgh Steelers traded George Pickens, it was not because of unimpressive performances during spring practices. Shipping him off to the Cowboys for a third-round pick and a late-round swap, he is showing out in Dallas. Now is the ideal time for Cowboys fans to be excited, of course, depending on how the season goes.
“Nobody could guard George Pickens today”, Tommy Yarrish, Cowboys.com writer, shared Tuesday on X. “Beat Israel Mukuamu on a nasty comeback route and had a couple more catches on the day too. You can tell he and Dak Prescott are starting to get comfortable with one another”.
George Pickens is no stranger to incredible individual feats, even in practice. In his second season, his posterization of then-rookie CB Joey Porter Jr. made headlines. No offense to 2021 sixth-round S Israel Mukuamu, but I’m not shocked Pickens beat him.
Of course, nobody has ever questioned Pickens’ abilities. He is one of the most talented wide receivers in the NFL, even if he doesn’t always play like it. We know that he can do remarkable things because we have watched him do it repeatedly. It’s what he does, or doesn’t do, between the remarkable moments that is the issue.
Whether it is throwing a tantrum or pulling up on a key block, George Pickens has faced accusations of immaturity. Accurate ones, by all accounts, and presumably a driving force in the Steelers trading him. Beyond the obvious, he was also apparently frequently late, among other things.
The Steelers trading for DK Metcalf and handing him a $150 million contract had a great deal to do with the reality sinking in that George Pickens would not be here in 2026. Perhaps they didn’t know at the time that Pickens wouldn’t be here and 2025, but they were open to it.
After all, they went through the entire draft without taking a wide receiver and only added Bobby Trees in free agency. This is not a team that actively planned to replace George Pickens post-Metcalf trade. Metcalf was his replacement, even while he was still here.
Now, the Cowboys traded for Pickens understanding it’s possible he may be a one-year rental. Even if he only contributes for one season, he could help them make a playoff run and still recoup a third-round compensatory pick. That’s not bad for meager draft compensation reduction and a cheap contract.
The Cowboys believe they can make a run at a Super Bowl this year, with CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens being Dak Prescott’s targets. That alone is worth the roll of the dice, even if he fails to mature. And if he does, and they re-sign him, then they have a stud on their hands.
