Subscribe
Follow Us
It seems like the Dallas Cowboys are fighting amongst themselves. And Micah Parsons is tangled up with Jerry Jones. But here is one Cowboys player who could make or break the 2025 NFL season.
It’s not Dak Prescott, CeeDee Lamb, or any of the running backs. It’s not a member of the offensive line, defensive line, linebackers, or secondary. No, it’s WR2. And that is George Pickens.
Let’s take a dive into why Pickens is the make-or-break guy for the Cowboys in 2025.
WR George Pickens important to Cowboys’ season
First, the Cowboys will need to have a loud offense if they want to reach double-digit wins. The run defense hasn’t proven itself, and therefore opponents will likely be able to rack up points on a consistent basis.
To win games, the Cowboys will need to take chances on defense. They can get a few game-changing plays that way. And if the offense consistently puffs out points like the little engine that could, wins should be more common.
So, how do the Cowboys get those points? They know Prescott can find Lamb every week. But they need that second guy to consistently step up. That’s why they traded for Pickens, and that’s why he’s the make-or-break guy.
Pickens said he already has a connection with Prescott, according to dallascowboys.com.
“I think it’s great,” Pickens said. “I feel like, me, him, CeeDee, and Jalen (Tolbert) will have a great rapport as long as we keep working.”
Also, Pickens said Lamb has made him welcome.
“CeeDee has always kind of been that type of guy,” Pickens said. “You just got to get to know people. When you know them personally, the connection changes.”
Cowboys HC Brian Schottenheimer impacting Pickens
Furthermore, Pickens said Schottenheimer has been a help.
“It’s been great,” Pickens said. “He’s probably one of the best coaches I’ve ever had around. Definitely. His energy is one of one. That’s got to be inside somebody. You can’t make that.
“He’s competitive … just as competitive as we are. He’s a great guy.”
People who cover the Cowboys seem to think Pickens can hold his own as a key element in the offense, according to dallascowboys.com.
“My expectations are really high, to the point wanting him to be like a co-No. 1 receiver with CeeDee Lamb,” Mickey Spagnola wrote. “And why not. He's already been considered a No. 1 receiver with the Steelers. And no sense ever diminishing his role now with the Cowboys.
“Pickens will be highly motivated entering the final year of his rookie contract, knowing he can make big bucks next year with either the Cowboys or in free agency if he is productive in 2025. And after watching him during the offseason practices, he sure looks dynamic, and you can feel his deep speed. This will be one of the best one-two receiver punches for the Cowboys in years.”
But Kyle Youmans said he wants to see it.
“This is a prove-it year for Pickens,” Youmans wrote. “With a new organization, a new offense, and an expiring rookie contract, all serve as a motivation for the fourth-year receiver. He'll enter the year as the clear second pass-catching option behind CeeDee Lamb on paper. With the upside to become a number one option in certain situations.
“When the Cowboys were surveying the wide receiver market this offseason, one of the questions they asked was ‘could this receiver post a 150-yard game if Lamb is either shut down or out?' In the case of Pickens, the answer was yes. That's going to be the expectation.”
WR George Pickens raises a high bar
Pickens said he thinks he and Lamb will form the No. 1 wide receiver duo in the NFL, according to nfl.com.
“Oh yeah, for sure,” Pickens said. “Just different type of styles of play. A lot of people over the years got different styles of play, but CeeDee's a certain type of guy, then I'm a certain type of guy. So, when you mesh that together, it's like Mario Bros. We definitely can do something special.”
Also, Pickens took a left jab at his former team.
“Yeah, I'm definitely excited to run better plays, for sure,” he said, a clear shot at his time with the Steelers.
And that’s part of the challenge for the Cowboys. Can they keep Pickens from becoming the guy who disrupted the Steelers and caused head coach Mike Tomlin to confront the issue, according to usatoday.com.
“He's just got to grow up, man,” Tomlin, the Steelers' coach, said after last year’s Bengals game. “This is an emotional game, man. These divisional games are big. He's got a target on his back because he's George; he understands that. But he's got to grow up. He's got to grow up in a hurry.”
