Fans were stunned when the Dallas Cowboys pulled off an offseason trade with the Pittsburgh Steelers to bring wide receiver George Pickens in to pair with Ceedee Lamb. While people were expecting positive results, not many were expecting Pickens to outpace Lamb in yards and touchdowns.
However, through two quarters against the Detroit Lions on Thursday Night Football in Week 14, Pickens has been nowhere to be seen. Here’s a look at the star receiver’s slow start.
What Happened to Dallas Cowboys WR George Pickens?
No, Pickens is not injured; in fact, he has played in all 12 games for the Cowboys in 2025. While Dallas was without Lamb for almost a month, Pickens stepped up to resume the role he had in Pittsburgh as WR1.
His contributions have been felt all season, but with Dallas heading into Ford Field riding a three-game win streak, Pickens has not been effectively incorporated into the offensive game plan. Through two quarters, quarterback Dak Prescott has targeted Pickens three times; he’s caught two for 15 yards, with one coming on the Cowboys’ opening drive.
George Pickens getting involved early
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While Prescott tried to get Pickens involved on the first play of the second half with another target, the Cowboys QB ended up throwing an interception to Lions linebacker Derrick Barnes. He was able to catch a pass on the next drive, but through three quarters, he’s still held to just 22 yards. Given the injury to Lamb in the third quarter, that’s not a good sign for a Dallas comeback attempt.
While he’s struggled against the Lions in Week 14, Pickens has been incredible this season. Heading into the Thursday Night matchup, he had caught 73 passes for 1,142 yards and eight touchdowns.
According to PFSN’s WR impact metric, Pickens has been one of the NFL’s best, ranking third in the league with an impact score of 93.1. With Lamb earning an 82.3, they are the second-highest-ranked duo in the league behind New England Patriots wideouts Stefon Diggs and Kayshon Boutte. Their contributions are a big reason behind the Cowboys’ offense ranking third overall in PFSN’s Offense Impact metric with a score of 87.2.
It seems like head coach Brian Schottenheimer tried to make some adjustments at halftime to get Pickens more involved. However, even with the focus and loss of Lamb, Pickens is still struggling to find much space in the secondary. He’s also drawn a few offensive pass interference penalties. Dallas will need him to tighten up to make any sort of comeback attempt, and down the line, should Lamb’s concussion keep him out.
Editor’s Note: This is a breaking news story and will be updated throughout the day as more information becomes available.Â
