When the Dallas Cowboys approached the draft in April, they clearly needed a wide receiver and a running back. They waited until the fifth round to address the latter.
They never addressed the former, at least on that draft weekend.
The Cowboys did address that position by swinging a trade with the Pittsburgh Steelers for George Pickens.
Pickens could turn out to be a one-year rental. Neither he, nor the Cowboys, were inclined to sign an extension, allowing Pickens to gamble on a larger contract next year.
Dallas is hoping their gamble on Pickens pays off this year in the form of a deep playoff run in 2025, if not a Super Bowl appearance and win.
If it does, they’ll have to pay a higher price to keep Pickens beyond this upcoming season or watch him cash in with another team.
The big question is: Will having Pickens on the roster be the difference in the Cowboys’ pursuit of a division title and a playoff run.
CeeDee Lamb’s Best Friend
Pickens’ presence alone will make CeeDee Lamb’s life much easier.
Pickens will draw double teams away from Lamb, and open up lanes for the Cowboys’ other receivers. That alone makes him invaluable.
If last year’s acquisition of Jonathan Mingo also pays off, or if Jalen Tolbert takes the next step up, the Cowboys receivers room could challenge for the best in the NFL.
But first, they need to be the best in the NFC East. And there’s one unit that is standing in their way.
How Dallas Stacks Up
The Philadelphia Eagles have a three-headed monster in A.J. Brown, DeVonta Smith, and Jahan Dotson. They were a large part of the team’s championship push.
But where the Cowboys have some depth, led by KaVontae Turpin and Jalen Brooks among others, the Eagles really don’t have much after their top three receivers on the depth chart.
That advantage, if Pickens does show up, will propel Dallas to the division’s best wide receiver room. It could very well propel the team to the division title and a deep playoff run too.
Even as Dallas tries to move past the Eagles, they have to keep an eye on the Commanders, who may also be able to stake a claim on the division’s best.
In addition to having Terry McLaurin and former Cowboys’ wide receiver Noah Brown, Washington traded for Deebo Samuel from the 49ers.
If these three gel with Jayden Daniels, they will be a force of their own. The Commanders dodged a scare when Brown was carted off with an injury earlier this month during OTAs.
The Giants have Malik Nabers for Russell Wilson and have to hope he can elevate Darius Slayton and Wan’Dale Robinson if they want to keep pace with the rest of the NFC East.
