Dak Prescott has been one of the most scrutinized quarterbacks in the NFL. Being the face of the Dallas Cowboys might have something to do with that. Getting $60 million a year without ever getting close to a Super Bowl appearance doesn’t help either. However, it seems one player can be the key to justify Dak’s money.
George Pickens is the newest, shiny object on the Cowboys roster. The wide receiver had a productive, yet frustrating three-year tenure in Pittsburgh. While he always showed his talent, the team was really under par on offense. Pickens was visibly frustrated plenty of times.
Now he goes from being the primary option on a bad offense to a number two option on a good, high-octane offense. CeeDee Lamb will be the one getting the biggest numbers, but it’s Pickens the one who can elevate Dak Prescott’s play with his skill set.
Pickens brings key characteristics to Dallas
Surpassing the 800-yard mark in every season, Pickens is surely a great target. His ability to win contested catches, draw flags from defenders and give the chance to stretch the field are just a few of Pickens’ strengths. In 2023, he actually led the league in yards per reception.
George Pickens #14 of the Pittsburgh Steelers looks on during a game against the Cincinnati Bengals at Acrisure Stadium on January 04, 2025 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Pickens will help Dallas in the sense that, if not CeeDee, there was not a name you could trust to win big yards in key moments. The former Georgia Bulldog will be that guy. Last season, the Cowboys had no help on the receiving end. If you take out Lamb, no one surpassed the 610-yard mark. Pickens elevates the receiving corp massively.
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Kristopher Knox, from Bleacher Report, had some spicy words regarding the arrival of the wide receiver. “Pickens, who was acquired in a post-draft trade with the Pittsburgh Steelers, is part of the reason we’re excited to see Prescott in camp,“ Knox said. “He should complement top target CeeDee Lamb and help open things up in the passing game.“
“How will Prescott look in camp with a new system and a new perimeter playmaker? Hopefully good enough to justify the massive four-year, $240 million extension he signed last September.“ Prescott seems to be under big duress.
Pickens must overcome a curse
Maybe you’ve noticed, maybe you haven’t, but there is some sort of curse in the last few years about standout receivers after leaving the Steelers. It all started with Antonio Brown.
Regarded as one of the best receivers of all time, after leaving Pittsburgh, Brown’s career was marked by scandals and not his talent. Granted, he won a Super Bowl in Tampa, but he had disastrous spells on the Raiders (didn’t even play), Patriots, and even on the Buccaneers, his career ended in a bad way. After six straight 1,000-yard seasons in Pittsburgh, he totaled 1,084 yards for the rest of his career.
Then, it was JuJu Smith-Schuster who broke out and was meant to be Antonio Brown’s heir. His career started descending and after leaving Pittsburgh, he has never been able to replicate his output with the black-and-gold.
The Steelers then drafted Chase Claypool, who was incredible on contested catches and had two promising seasons. His third year marked his decline and since then, he failed to cause an impact on Chicago and Miami and is now a free agent. Can Pickens break this curse? It seems he has landed in a better spot, but it’s the Cowboys, where the disappointments have been numerous for the last 30 years.
