The news of wide receiver George Pickens being traded to the Dallas Cowboys shocked the NFL world on May 7, and one former NFL quarterback is already making bold predictions for the 2025 season. Does this move change the balance of power in the NFC?
Well, that depends on whom you ask. Former quarterback-turned-analyst Dan Orlovsky offered a strong opinion during an appearance on ESPN’s “Get Up” show and didn’t waste any time broadcasting his thoughts to the masses.
Dallas Cowboys Are ‘Playoff-Contending Team,’ Says NFL Analyst
The Cowboys’ surprise acquisition of Pickens could turn the hard-luck Cowboys into instant playoff contenders, according to Orlovsky. He didn’t mince words, emphatically saying: “The move squarely puts the Cowboys as a playoff-contending football team this coming season … I anticipate the Cowboys to be better than other people [do].”
Orlovsky wasn’t finished.
“George Pickens, contract year … yes, he’s not a perfect type of player but his ability to go down the field and make plays with an offensive line that I think is going to be one of the better ones in the NFL at the backend of the season, this squarely puts the Cowboys back into the ‘we are a playoff-contending football team.'”
.@danorlovsky7 reacts to the Cowboys trading for George Pickens:
“The move squarely put the Cowboys as a playoff-contending football team this coming season.” 👀 pic.twitter.com/jkcL08sMuS
— Get Up (@GetUpESPN) May 7, 2025
Can Pickens Make the Cowboys Legit Contenders?
Outlining what Dallas needed to become a true contender before the Pickens trade, Orlovsky identified two key factors: “Number one, Dak Prescott has to stay healthy. That hasn’t been the case recently. And two, they’ve got to get a number two guy opposite CeeDee Lamb.”
Make no mistake about it: Pickens is that number two guy. The former Steelers star averaged 58 receptions over his first three NFL seasons, including 16.3 yards per catch overall and a league-best 18.1 yards per catch in 2023.
“George Pickens, even with the quarterback carousel in Pittsburgh, has averaged about 15 yards per catch,” Orlovsky said. “So we’re talking about adding that kind of production next to a receiver like CeeDee Lamb — who’s good for 100 to 110 catches a year and can push for 1,500-plus yards.”
Prescott, Cowboys Get Instant Upgrade
The Cowboys struggled offensively last season, ranking 23rd in PFSN’s Offense+ metric. They were 28th in passing success rate and 29th in EPA per dropback. Even when Prescott was healthy, Dallas ranked just 27th and 22nd in those respective categories.
Lamb, perhaps more than anyone, felt the impact of Prescott’s injury. The four-time Pro Bowler regressed to 101 receptions for 1,194 yards and six touchdowns — a notable drop after nearly 1,800 yards in 2023. Despite earning second-team All-Pro honors, it was a down year by his standards.
Lamb had publicly urged the team to find him a true partner in the 2025 NFL Draft, even naming several high-profile prospects in a pre-draft interview. While the Cowboys didn’t select a receiver during the draft, they finally filled that void by trading for Pickens.