The post-draft NFL offseason made waves on May 7 when the Pittsburgh Steelers sent polarizing fourth-year wide receiver George Pickens and a 2027 sixth-round pick to the Dallas Cowboys in exchange for a 2026 third-round pick and 2027 fifth-round pick.
With the media and fans abuzz deliberating on the deal, former Cowboys head coach Jason Garrett — someone with intimate knowledge of the front office’s thought process — has weighed in on Pickens’ fit in Dallas, telling Pro Football Talk that the Georgia alum “is the kind of guy (Cowboys owner) Jerry Jones loves.”
Jason Garrett Believes Dallas Cowboys Leaders Can Keep George Pickens in Line
A lot of the discourse regarding the trade revolves around assumptions that the Steelers traded Pickens due to his perceived behavioral issues stemming from on-field fights and unsportsmanlike penalties.
Garrett acknowledged that narrative but also asserted that having veterans like QB Dak Prescott setting the culture in the Cowboys locker room and an owner in Jerry Jones who’s gambled on several talented players with discipline questions sets up Pickens for success.
“Jerry Jones loves the George Pickens. He loves the guy who’s talented, maybe troubled somewhere else. We can try to create the right environment for him and get the most out of him,” Garrett said.
Garrett, who was on the Cowboys’ coaching staff from 2007 to 2019, called back on his time in Dallas to back up his point.
“When I was the head coach there, we drafted a lot of really, really good players who were also great people. Tyron Smith, Travis Frederick, Zack Martin, Dak Prescott — these kinds of guys, they can help you absorb maybe a couple of these guys that weren’t quite the character guy that you want, that weren’t the boy scout necessarily,” he continued.
“But, when you have a lot of other great people around them, who kind of show them the way, they stick out like a sore thumb if they start doing the other stuff. And, oftentimes, that can help them change their ways. So, I think Jerry probably feels like this is an environment where they can do that.”
To Jones and the Dallas front office’s credit, there’s no doubt that Pickens is one of the more talented young receivers in the league, having posted three straight seasons with at least 800 yards and his crown jewel being his sophomore season in which he logged 63 catches for 1,140 yards and five touchdowns.
The Cowboys also had a glaring need at receiver outside of All-Pro wideout CeeDee Lamb. If they can get his discipline under control, Pickens could be the perfect complement to take some defensive attention off the 26-year-old Oklahoma product — especially given the price.
Jones and Dallas have also added former Denver Broncos RB Javonte Williams to their skill unit after finishing as just the 23rd-rated team in PFSN’s Offense+ metric last season.
Only time will tell if first-time head coach Brian Schottenheimer can step up to the plate and help Prescott, Lamb and now Pickens and Williams function together as a unit to come out on top of what’s sure to be a stacked NFC East.
