Here are five reasons why the George Pickens trade makes sense for the Cowboys.
The Dallas Cowboys made the splashiest move they’ve made in years on Wednesday when they traded for Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver George Pickens. It was the icing on the cake for a team that has been very active in addressing weaknesses, as it was the last thing remaining on their offseason checklist. And it was a big one.
The Cowboys’ offense has suffered immensely when they’ve tried to rely on players like Allen Hurns, Noah Brown, or Jalen Tolbert to fill bigger shoes than they’re capable of, and each time, the front office has responded by making a trade for a new wide receiver. They’ve invested high draft capital for a young Amari Cooper, and much lower draft capital for the veteran Brandin Cooks. This time, they’ve split the difference and used a third-round pick to acquire Pickens.
Pickens is a good player, but he only has one year left on his rookie deal, and he comes with baggage, which is why the Cowboys got him for what they did. It has some people questioning just how excited they should be about this trade. There are many things to consider, but here are five things that should make you feel pretty good about this trade.
1. He’s got something to prove
If there is a coach who can get the most out of a player, it’s the Pittsburgh Steelers’ Mike Tomlin. No one should expect first-year head coach Brian Schottenheimer to have the magic touch that finally gets through to him. Pickens is what he is, and that’s a 1,000-yard receiver even in “headache” mode. He’s also in the last year of his rookie deal, so he’s the guy who has the most to gain by keeping his act together. The Cowboys should see the best version of him, and the likelihood of things going south seems low.
2. He’s a perfect fit for Dak
For the last few years, there’s been a lot of complaining about Cowboys’ receivers getting separation. Pickens isn’t going to change that. While he has some quickness out of his breaks, he’s not a skilled route-runner who constantly creates space. But that’s okay because he doesn’t need a lot of room to do what he does best, and that’s bringing down balls in traffic.
Pickens is one of the best contested pass-catchers in the league. He has elite body control and concentration. His catch radius is off the charts. Since the departure of Amari Cooper, Dak Prescott has been routinely asked to make tight window throws, and he’s one of the best in the game at throwing a catchable ball; however, what’s happened after that has not always worked out. With Pickens as a new target, Dak will benefit from a receiver who has made a career out of hauling in contested passes.
In 2023, Dak Prescott led the NFL with an on-target pass rate of 82.6%.
George Pickens has one of the best catch radii in the league.
Throw it near him and he’ll find a way to snag it.
This is a match made in heaven. pic.twitter.com/CQj308vCH0— Dan Rogers (@DannyPhantom24) May 7, 2025
3. If he’s a one-year rental, that’s okay
The Cowboys giving up a third-round draft pick is a steep price. If you think it was hard to watch them sit on their hands from picks 100 to 140 (fourth-round), it will be more painful when they’re helpless at picks 65 to 100. And for those hoping the team will re-sign Pickens, let’s remember who we’re talking about.
The Cowboys have been aggressive this offseason, but that doesn’t mean they will keep throwing money at people. If Pickens balls out and is a top commodity on the open market next offseason, that’s fine. With what he’ll command in free agency, it should return a nice third-round compensatory pick.
4. The WR3 position just got more fun
The Cowboys started the week with one of the worst WR2s in the league and instantly propelled themselves into the conversation of having one of the top WR duos in the league. CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens are going to be fabulous together. But the fun doesn’t stop there.
The team now has a huge battle for the WR3/WR4 spots with candidates Jalen Tolbert, Jonathan Mingo, KaVontae Turpin, Parris Campbell, Jalen Brooks, and Ryan Flournoy. Before, when one of these guys was expected to be the WR2, this situation was frightening, but now, only having to be the fourth or fifth receiving option (behind Jake Ferguson as well), suddenly, these choices look much more appealing. It’s no longer unreasonable to expect someone (one is all it takes) to step in and contribute in that role.
5. Drafting talent over need offers rewards
If Pickens is only with the team for a year, the Cowboys can still solidify their wide receiver position by using one of two premium draft resources on a wide receiver next year. And while it may seem costly to burn two premium picks at the position, the fact that the Cowboys were patient this year and collected talent in other areas will afford them that luxury.
They won’t need to address the offensive line; they’re stacked with young edge rushing talent, and by the time 2026 rolls around, they should once again have two great cornerbacks, with one of them being a healthy Shavon Revel Jr. That’s the benefit of taking the top talent over addressing positions of need. What’s not a big need right now could have been later, and the Cowboys have themselves covered in a lot of areas now.
