The Dallas Cowboys made a blockbuster move by trading with the Pittsburgh Steelers for wide receiver George Pickens. Dallas was expected to add a receiver to pair with CeeDee Lamb during the 2025 NFL Draft, but completely passed on the position.
With Pickens, the Cowboys now have a new weapon for Dak Prescott, and one former quarterback turned ESPN personality says that they are a team to watch in 2025.
Can George Pickens Take Cowboys to the Next Level?
Dallas was a shell of itself after Prescott’s Week 9 hamstring injury in 2024. The offense wasn’t anything special with its starting quarterback, but the entire team floundered after its leader went down.
Cooper Rush did admirably in his first extended action as a starter, but the unit showed its true colors against the Philadelphia Eagles and Washington Commanders to end the season.
The Cowboys were No. 23 in PFSN’s Offense+ metric last season, ranking 28th in passing success rate and 29th in EPA per dropback. The results weren’t too different isolating the stretch when Prescott was the starting QB. Before the injury, Dallas ranked 27th in passing success rate and 22nd in EPA per dropback.
Lamb was the biggest victim of Prescott’s absence last season. The four-time Pro Bowler regressed to 101 receptions, 1,194 yards, and six touchdowns. He was named second-team All-Pro, but this was a major step down after posting nearly 1,800 yards in 2023.
The receiver wanted the Cowboys to give him a running mate in the 2025 NFL Draft, as he named multiple big-name prospects in a pre-draft interview with RG. Dallas didn’t fill that need, however, during the draft, but finally found Lamb a worthy partner by trading for Pickens.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter first reported the deal, and former QB Dan Orlovsky thinks this is a great move for the Cowboys.
Wwwoooooowwwww
I think Cowboys will be better than people anticipate https://t.co/CF0bc9lFb8
— Dan Orlovsky (@danorlovsky7) May 7, 2025
Orlovsky responded to Schefter’s tweet, “Wwwoooooowwwww I think Cowboys will be better than people anticipate.”
This is a huge move by Dallas and could vault them to the top of the tough NFC East. Before the trade, the team’s biggest offensive move this offseason was signing running back Javonte Williams in free agency. The Cowboys had focused on the defense, either trading for or signing multiple veterans.
This left fans and Orlovsky wondering how the offense would bounce back after a rough 2024. The ex-quarterback had pleaded with the Cowboys to add a receiver during the draft, but he’s now praising Dallas for acquiring another weapon.
Pickens is one of the more explosive personalities in the NFL. In his three years with the Steelers, he totaled 174 catches, 2,841 yards, and 12 touchdowns. Prescott will be the best quarterback he’s played with, and playing across from Lamb should make Pickens more productive.
The Cowboys waited a long time to make a splash this offseason, and may have just put the rest of the NFC on notice.