George Pickens has a chance in his second year with the Cowboys to become even scarier

The Dallas Cowboys fell short of their goal of making the playoffs last season. However, one of the standout performances came from George Pickens, whom his own head coach, Brian Schottenheimer, believes can take his game to an even higher level moving forward.

“Where he can continue to go and grow is scary because what he did last year was amazing. And the more you watch the film, then you see it and you’re just kind of like, ‘Whoa.’ It’s just different,” the head coach said Saturday to the press. “We’ve got a lot of really good football players, and he’s certainly at the top of that list along with some of our other studs.“

The offense of America’s Team promises to be one of the most aggressive, to the point that the Cowboys already were impressed with UDFA tight ends Michael Trigg and DJ Rogers.

In the last couple of days, Schottenheimer tried to stay out of the trade buzz surrounding Pickens, although the wide receiver’s presence heading into the 2026 NFL season looks encouraging for this team. Can the former Steeler surpass the numbers he put up last season?

George Pickens #3 of the Dallas Cowboys.

Pickens aims to improve on his 2025 numbers

George Pickens has truly cemented himself as one of Dak Prescott’s most lethal targets since joining the Dallas Cowboys in 2025. Following a blockbuster trade from the Steelers, Pickens exploded in his first season in Texas, recording career-highs across the board and earning his first Pro Bowl selection and AP Second-Team All-Pro honors.

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Pickens finished the year ranked 3rd in the NFL in receiving yards, proving to be the perfect sidekick to CeeDee Lamb in an explosive Cowboys passing attack. His chemistry with Dak Prescott was evident in several massive performances, including a 168-yard game against the Panthers and a 146-yard showing in a comeback win over the Eagles.

Is he better now than he was in Pittsburgh?

George Pickens once established himself as a premier deep threat during his three seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers, where he recorded 174 receptions for 2,841 yards and 12 touchdowns in 48 games. After a promising rookie campaign in 2022 (801 yards), he had a breakout 2023 season with 1,140 yards and a league-leading 18.1 yards per catch.

However, his final year in Pittsburgh was marked by frustration, including a hamstring injury and public criticism regarding his effort on the field, which eventually led to his trade to Dallas in May 2025.

Right now, the player is enjoying a strong run of form on the field, and it seems he may have found his place in Dallas. For now, Schottenheimer and company are excited about what he could unlock in the near future.