Dallas Cowboys are going to find out exactly why the George Pickens pickup was so much more than getting Dak Prescott some help and giving this offense a proven No. 2 option to CeeDee Lamb. First, be happy Jerry Jones finally made a real move and stopped with the smoke screens in the form of useless free agent signing.
But Pickens will make Cowboys fans a lot happier when they realize he could very well be an upgraded version of what Michael Gallup was in his prime in Dallas. That’s right, the beloved Gallup that was always reliable. The pre-ACL injury Gallup that torched teams when Amari Cooper dominated the defense’s attention.
According to Pro Football Focus' John Owning, Pickens is a near 1:1 comparison to what Gallup was in Dallas. More than that, he has even more upside than Gallup. Gallup was a career secondary option. Pickens spent his first three seasons as the top target.
Though Pickens probably isn’t interested in playing second fiddle to Lamb, when he finds out truly what it means to be in the role Gallup once had, he’ll see this is truly an upgrade for him and an opportunity he can’t squander.
George Pickens drawing Michael Gallup comparisons is exactly what Dallas Cowboys fans need to be excited about trade
Gallup has to be on the list of the most loved Cowboys players by fans. What’s to not like about a guy that didn’t mind being a second option, produced like a No. 1 and was the most reliable producer on the offense?
That’s the potential Pickens has with his new team in Dallas. The problem is, he has more of an attitude than Gallup and demands attention so he could become a problem if he’s not getting the ball. There were games Gallup didn’t have as strong number, but he still showed up.
The Cowboys need Pickens to continue to show up, even if Lamb is getting the lion's share of targets. In 2019 and 2020, he had 1,107 and 843 yards respectively, with 11 total touchdowns between the two seasons.
For perspective, in 2019, Amari Cooper was the leading receiver with 1,189 yards and in 2020, Gallup was the third leading receiver behind Cooper (1,114) and Lamb (935). That’s how good Pickens can be in this offense.
According to Owning Pickens’ strength is his ability to track the ball while also being physical in contested catch situations. Similar to Gallup in the sense that Gallup always found a way to make the catch or make the play.
If Pickens can put his pride aside and accept a slightly lesser role than he would probably want, he could end up being just as or even more productive than Gallup was during his healthy seasons in Dallas. That could ultimately make Pickens a Cowboys fan favorite.