The day of the George Pickens trade was one of the most exciting that Cowboys fans have had in years. For the general outlook of the team, it boosted them back into playoff contention, but for a few players, it damaged their 2025 prospects.
With CeeDee Lamb being a lock for 150+ targets, and Pickens entering the fold, and expecting 90+ of his own, there will be limited chances for the other weapons in Dallas.
CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens – just look at their reception heat maps
This WILL work and probably work very very well for the #DallasCowboys pic.twitter.com/7sryBmv2K1
— Ray G (@RayGQue) May 7, 2025
In 2024, seven Cowboys saw 30 or more targets, as injuries and the lack of a true WR2 forced Mike McCarthy’s offense to spread the ball around.
We can all agree that Brian Schottenheimer’s offense will have no such problem.
Lamb and Pickens are projected to be one of the top wide receiver duos in the sport, and with a revamped offensive line and fresh faces in the running back room, the threat of those two guys could also act as a boost to the running game.
In short, the slew of depth pieces in the Cowboys’ wide receiver room, who originally looked poised to battle for the WR2 job, may be out of luck in 2025.
Stephen Jones feels Jonathan Mingo, Jalen Tolbert and Ryan Flournoy could all develop into potential WR 2s. pic.twitter.com/spuH9SfV19
— Garrett Podell (@garrettpodell) April 26, 2025
Let’s look at three examples that perfectly highlight a situation that’s great for Dallas, but a tough reality for the players involved.
Parris Campbell: Veteran’s Time Running Out
Cowboys free agent acquisition, Parris Campbell, has been fighting to prove he is a starting wide receiver for years now.
Originally a second-round pick of the Indianapolis Colts in 2019, this veteran is now 27 years old, and, after the George Pickens trade, potentially at the end of his NFL journey.
Campbell’s best season came in 2022, when he eclipsed career-highs in targets, receptions, yards, and touchdowns. Since then, he’s played on two other NFC East teams and seen a huge decline in production.
The #Eagles are releasing WR Parris Campbell, source says.
Campbell had 6 catches for 30 yards and a TD in four games with Philly. pic.twitter.com/maujpFZvcJ
— Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) October 22, 2024
Before Pickens, Dallas made sense for a guy like Campbell; a veteran presence looking to prove he can still play fit right in. Now, he just looks like the odd man out.
It’s flat out hard to see a role for a guy that caught just six passes in 2024 with two stars, and a couple of younger, higher-potential options alongside him on the depth chart.
Campbell’s one-year deal in Dallas may only last a few months at this rate.
Ryan Flournoy: Late-Round Pick Buried
Cowboys fans quickly fell in love with former Southeast Missouri State wide receiver, Ryan Flournoy, after Dallas selected him in the sixth round in 2024.
It was easy to see why, as Flournoy lit up the highlight reels with big-time production with the Tigers, but that failed to show up in his rookie season. Looking ahead to 2025, it seems like last year may have been his only true shot in Dallas.
Flournoy is buried on the depth chart right now. Aside from the Lamb and Pickens duo, it’s hard to see him getting reps over Jonathan Mingo, Jalen Tolbert, and KaVontae Turpin.
https://twitter.com/NFL/status/1871034291896860841
Just a month ago, he looked like a real WR2 candidate. Now, he is just battling for a roster spot between Campbell and Jalen Brooks.
If Flournoy can make it to the 53-man roster, it will take injuries and a huge step forward in his progression to make an impact on the field.
Late-rounders like Flournoy have a low success rate for a reason, and the George Pickens trade has dropped those odds even further.
Jonathan Mingo: Out With The Old Trade
Speaking of Mingo, we can’t ignore how his status has fallen in a very short amount of time.
Dallas traded a fourth-round pick for the former Carolina Panther last fall, and the return on investment never once looked promising.
Mingo started in just one game for the Cowboys and recorded his lowest receiving success rate, yards per reception, and yards per game of his already lackluster career. He was essentially a non-factor.
The #Cowboys are trading for a new WR, as sources say they are acquiring former #Panthers second-rounder Jonathan Mingo. Some help for their offense pic.twitter.com/qsHvMkJoGE
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) November 5, 2024
I think Dallas is still holding out hope for their 2024 acquisition, but the second the George Pickens trade went down, his stock dropped again.
His trade has now been completely overshadowed by the Cowboys’ blockbuster with Pittsburgh, and he is now going to compete with Tolbert, who certainly has an early leg up, for the WR3 job.
We should all hope the Mingo experiment turns around, but it is off to a bad start that somehow keeps getting worse.
