The Dallas Cowboys traded for wide receiver George Pickens last week, sending draft capital to the Pittsburgh Steelers in the process. Pickens has plenty of potential, but the baggage that comes with him was too much for the Steelers to carry after three years together. Pickens is entering the final year of his deal, and has had plenty to say since being dealt to Dallas.
Pickens was asked how he would gel with fellow wide receiver CeeDee Lamb, and he had nothing but good things to say about his new teammate. Pickens also mentioned committing to a 'winning culture' with new Dallas head coach Brian Schottenheimer.
“There’s no, ‘he gets the ball, I get the ball.’ We’re working off each other,” Pickens said, according toCowboys reporter Jon Machota. “That’s why I always come back to building a winning culture. And that’s kinda what we’ve been talking about in Dallas.”
George Pickens is a headache and Steelers fans know it
All of that sounds fine and good, and for the most part Pickens has always said the right things to the media. After the fact, he can sound off on social media or even engage in fist fights on the field. He's utterly unpredictable.
Unfortunately for Pickens, that winning culture might have to wait until Week 2. The Cowboys will play the Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles to open the regular season. It's not a huge surprise that Dallas was selected for that honor, as Cowboys games are frequently rated among the highest each NFL season. It's going to be a lucrative night for the league itself.
As for Pickens, he'll go up against a talented secondary, while Prescott faces a brutal pass rush in his first game back from injury. It's not an ideal matchup for the Cowboys, which despite what Jerry Jones may think would've been better off facing a weaker opponent in Week 1.
George Pickens trade was worth it for Cowboys
A wide receiver of Pickens caliber was worth the risk for Dallas. As Jon Machota of The Athletic wrote in his Monday mailbag, the Cowboys didn't stand much of a chance at making the playoffs without him.
"What were the 2025 Cowboys going to be without that trade? Seven wins? Eight wins? Take a chance, which they haven’t done much of recently. If it doesn’t work out, you move on in the offseason," Machota wrote.
This is a big season for Pickens, as he's entering a contract year. It's much of the reason why the Steelers traded him away – Pittsburgh wanted value while they could still get it, and they knew fans were tired of his act.
Those same fans could be in for a good, old fashioned hate watch to open the season.