Former NFL star and Super Bowl champion DeSean Jackson made headlines with a bold prediction on the “Up & Adams Show.”
When asked which wide receiver would make a bigger impact in the NFC East — George Pickens with the Cowboys or Deebo Samuel Sr. with the Commanders — Jackson leaned toward the Cowboys’ new receiver.
DeSean Jackson Backs George Pickens to Shine in Dallas
Host Kay Adams put Jackson on the spot, asking him to choose between two potential threats to his beloved Eagles.
“Who do you think will make a bigger impact, George Pickens on the Cowboys or Deebo on the Commanders as far as taking out your Eagles?” she asked. Jackson paused and said, “Man, why did you do that to me?” before making his choice.
DeSean Jackson thinks George Pickens makes an instant impact for the Cowboys, but…
“Dak’s a regular season hero. I just don’t know how it’s going to transition into the playoffs.” @heykayadams | @DeSeanJackson10 pic.twitter.com/AnshH7vSBy — Up & Adams (@UpAndAdamsShow) May 28, 2025
“As easy as it is to say, it’s hard to say in the same sentence, but I think George Pickens is going to be a bigger impact,” Jackson said. While he acknowledged Deebo’s talent, especially working with rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels, he focused on what Pickens could do in Dallas.
“Dak, you know, Dak, he’s a regular season hero,” Jackson said. “I just don’t know how he’s going to transition into the playoffs. But as far as regular season, I think the Cowboys will have better production from CeeDee [Lamb] and George Pickens if we’re going to just talk about receivers.”
Pickens Ready for New Start in Dallas
Pickens’ journey to Dallas started in early May, when the Steelers traded him after three solid seasons. Even though he had at least 52 catches and 800 yards each year—including a career-best 1,140 yards in 2023—issues with consistent quarterback play and tension with Pittsburgh’s leadership led to his exit.
When asked about Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin’s comments that he needed to “grow up,” Pickens kept his answer positive.
“Just taking one day at a time,” he said. “I feel like everybody in the world is working on growing and bettering themselves. I feel like growth for me is taking a great direction in me coming to the Cowboys.”
The former Georgia standout also shared his view of the NFL as a business.
“This game is just as much a business as it is football. It’s kinda like out of my control,” Pickens said. “I’m glad to be here in Dallas and able to continue the winning culture that they have.”
Now teamed up with All-Pro CeeDee Lamb and quarterback Dak Prescott, Pickens has a chance to show he can be a reliable target in Dallas. The Cowboys’ offense ranked No. 23 in PFSN’s Offense+ metric in 2024. With Prescott healthy again and Lamb needing a strong complement, Jackson’s prediction about Pickens might not be far off.