George Pickens is saying all the right things.
So are the Dallas Cowboys, who stunned the NFL earlier this month by trading for a talented but troubled wide receiver who was effectively kicked off of Mike Tomlin‘s Pittsburgh Steelers.
George Pickens must prove that he’s a different player with the Dallas CowboysGettyBut what happens when Pickens is forced to deal with the drama and uncertainty that routinely surrounds the richest sports franchise in the world?
The Cowboys are valued at $10 billion but haven’t reached the Super Bowl in 30 years.
“The question I have about George Pickens is will that happiness remain when you are getting closer to becoming an unrestricted free agent, if your numbers aren’t where you want them to be?” Brian Batko, Steelers beat writer for the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, exclusively told talkSPORT.
“And if you’re getting shadow coverage from a Marshon Lattimore or somebody like that twice a year, and it’s difficult to get your targets and catches.”
The 24-year-old Pickens has 174 catches for 2,841 yards and 12 touchdowns in three seasons since being drafted out of Georgia with the No. 52 overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft.
Those solid but unspectacular stats could improve now that he’s catching passes from Dak Prescott and playing in Brian Schottenheimer’s offense with the pass-first Cowboys.
“We complement each other very well,” Dallas wide receiver CeeDee Lamb recently told reporters.
“His ability to go up and get the ball at the highest point is amazing.”
That’s the same Pickens who angered Steelers fans weekly and appeared to quit on the team several times.
Now that Pickens has been moved to Big D, Tomlin is trying to convince a 41-year-old Aaron Rodgers to chose the Steelers instead of retirement.
GettyDak Prescott also has a ton to prove in 2025[/caption] GettyPickens is enjoying a ‘change of pace’ by moving to Dallas[/caption] GettyHe has Pro Bowl talent but was often his own worst enemy in Pittsburgh[/caption]Pickens clashed with home supporters in the stands near the end of a 2024 season that saw Pittsburgh produce a 10-7 record with multiple starting quarterbacks, then get knocked out of the first round of the AFC playoffs.
“He’s just got to grow up, man,” said Tomlin, who is the NFL’s longest-tenured head coach.
“He’s got a target on his back because he’s George, he understands that. But he’s got to grow up. He’s got to grow up in a hurry.”
For all the potential of pairing Pickens with Lamb in Dallas, there’s also the reality that the Cowboys finished next-to-last in the NFC East last season and play in the same division as the reigning Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles.
Factor in that Pickens is going through OTAs in the final season of a four-year, $6.7 million contract, and it’s easy to envision his personal desire for a big new deal clashing with everything the Cowboys are trying to fix entering the 2025 season.
Prescott ($240m) is the highest-paid QB in the NFL, yet is coming off a major injury and will be 32-years-old in Week 1.
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Star defender Micah Parsons is also seeking a huge new contract, while owner Jerry Jones has been dreaming of another Super Bowl trophy for decades.
The initial view of Pickens in Dallas has been positive, and the Cowboys could represent the clean break that he needs.
“I don’t think that there was an epiphany,” Batko said.
“I think there is a legitimate refreshing change of pace for him, just because of the weight of all this –most of them self-inflicted headaches that he caused in Pittsburgh, or headaches that he had to deal with in Pittsburgh. And that naturally engendered a lot of negativity from the fan base, as well.
“I’m sure he was wearing out his welcome on people here, both inside and outside the building, to some extent. So now he goes to a place where you have a different city, a bigger city.
“You’re playing in beautiful Jerry World (AT&T Stadium) instead of gritty and grimy Acrisure Stadium stadium in half of your games. You’re in a more pass-happy offense. So, yeah, I think he will be happier.”
But will Pickens still be proud to be a Cowboy after facing the Eagles in the 2025 season-opener, Caleb Williams and the Bears in Chicago, the Lions in Detroit, and Jayden Daniels‘ Washington Commanders twice?
The Cowboys are projected to go 8-9 on several sites, and every time Dallas fails, the national media is waiting to pounce.
“We will find out,” Batko.
So will Pickens’ new team and fanbase.
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