George Pickens Ready To “Work” with CeeDee Lamb at Cowboys Amid WR1 Tussle
George Pickens, former Pittsburgh Steelers WR, was traded in by Jerry Jones as the wide receiver number two opposite CeeDee Lamb.
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CeeDee Lamb, George Pickens (Image via Blogging The Boys/Yahoo)
The Dallas Cowboys had a miserable season last year, with humbling home losses and a finish behind the Washington Commanders in third place in NFC East. The Cowboys, one of the most consistent teams in the game’s history, had several huge flaws. There were critical roster flaws and additional inadequacies from top-tier players like Dak Prescott.
Amongst the roster situations, the Cowboys had a glaring skill issue as well. In order to fix the same, they had been on the backs of several wideouts for the whole offseason. After a failed pre-draft talk, they were far too behind in the draft to add their dream wideout, Tetairoa McMillan. As all doors closed, the Cowboys traded for George Pickens from the Pittsburgh Steelers to become their second wide receiver opposite CeeDee Lamb.
The Cowboys had lacked a consistent top-tier wide receiver to support Lamb since 2021, after Amari Cooper‘s departure. In 2021, Cooper tallied 865 receiving yards and eight touchdowns before being traded to the Cleveland Browns.
Lamb had led the team last season with 1,102 receiving yards and six touchdowns, becoming the undisputed WR1. In the years since, no secondary receiver had reached similar production. Noah Brown, Brandin Cooks, and Jalen Tolbert had all taken turns as the de facto WR2.
In 2022, Brown finished second among the team’s wideouts in receptions behind Lamb. Cooks had assumed the role in 2023 before injuries impacted his availability. By 2024, Tolbert had stepped into that role following Cooks’ absence.
Despite Lamb’s consistent dominance, Dallas failed to provide him with a stable co-star. The imbalance left the Cowboys’ passing game overly reliant on one target. As one could guess, defenses quickly adapted with double teams and aggressive coverage strategies.
The Cowboys are hoping that this trend will change with the arrival of George Pickens this week. In his three seasons with Pittsburgh, Pickens has crossed 800 yards and had 50 receptions every time. He had led the Steelers in receiving yards twice.
George Pickens points to a tandem between him and CeeDee Lamb
Speaking to the media post joining his new team, Pickens downplayed concerns over positional hierarchy within the Cowboys’ receiving corps.
You guys making a 1A and 1B and all this. Honestly, that’s the first time I’ve heard of any of that stuff. I feel like two receivers are kind of normal. When I used to watch football, there was always a good receiver and then there was another good receiver on the side of him. I just feel like we’re going to work off each other very well.
George Pickens said, per the team website
He also made it a point to emphasize that there needs to be a sense of shared responsibility over titles. Pickens added the mentality will, reflecting the former dynamic duo, Reggie Wayne and Marvin Harrison.
Moreover, Pickens also expressed enthusiasm for working with Lamb, calling him “a super dynamic receiver, super dynamic person, player.” Pickens added that opposing defenses wouldn’t be able to “double everybody.”
George Pickens could create problems for the Dallas Cowboys
George Pickens is known for creating chaos both on and off the field. In the past season, he had several instances of misbehavior, including arriving late to practice and emotional aggression amid games as well.
At one point in the last season, Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin noted that Pickens needs to grow up. However, it is evident from Pickens’ recent notes that he considers himself a part of a tandem, and the Cowboys locker room is gonna be a chef’s kiss for the media.
The real question remains: How will CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens gel together? Will Lamb, who has more than 150 targets in three seasons, be willing to part from his impressive numbers? It also raised the question of whether Dak Prescott would sufficiently ensure that both catchers are equally targeted. Last but not least, lest fans forget that Brian Schottenheimer heads the Cowboys next season.
Also Read: Steelers, with 12 Draft Picks, Already Have Their Eyes Set on the 2026 NFL Season
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