OTAs give teams and players an early opportunity to get to know new faces, work on chemistry, and settle into new surroundings. They also offer an opportunity for the press to spend time with players and coaches, with so many stars in one place at one time.
For George Pickens, the workouts have been a welcome opportunity to get grounded with the Dallas Cowboys after his whirlwind trade from the Pittsburgh Steelers. Speaking to the press, Pickens reflected on his first meeting with Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, revealing the owner’s excitement about his arrival.
‘Super Happy’ – George Pickens Reveals Jerry Jones’ Glee at Meeting His Team’s New Star
Pickens fielded a barrage of questions while taking time out to talk to the press. The receiver was asked for his feelings about the trade, his new teammates, and the controversial narrative that follows him out of Pittsburgh. Pickens stated that he wasn’t overly surprised by the trade, noting that the league is just a business.
“I wasn’t really, like, too shocked or too excited, I was just ready to work.”
Pickens revealed that his first interactions with his new teammates had been positive, with everyone that he’d met expressing excitement at his arrival. He was then asked about his first meeting with Jones, and revealed that the owner was also pleased to see him.
New Cowboys WR George Pickens on his first interaction with Jerry Jones: “Super excited. It was like when you get a present on Christmas. He was just super happy.”
Pickens said nothing is finalized with his jersey number, so he might not be wearing No. 13 during the season pic.twitter.com/x6aqOIdng0
— Jon Machota (@jonmachota)
“Like I said, super excited. It’s like when you get a present on Christmas, he was just super happy.”
Pickens Has an Incredible Opportunity in Dallas
It’s easy to understand why the Cowboys would be excited to have added a player of Pickens’ quality; the receiver has shown elite potential during his time in the league. Question marks over his character have followed him to Dallas, but the team will hope that a change of scenery will bring out the best in their new man.
No longer the No. 1 receiver on his team, Pickens could benefit from having an elite talent like CeeDee Lamb to work with. The epitome of a model professional, Lamb could be the example that Pickens needs to help him reach his dizzyingly high ceiling.
Having just missed out on the end of the Ben Roethlisberger era, Dak Prescott will be the best quarterback that Pickens has played with. With better players around him and in a more attacking system, there is huge potential for growth for Pickens in Dallas. Time will tell if he can make the most of the opportunity.