FRISCO, Texas — Dak Prescott laughed when asked how he found out two weeks ago that the Dallas Cowboys were trading for George Pickens. The franchise quarterback was away from his phone for a couple of hours. He ended up having six missed calls from Jerry Jones’ assistant.
When he listened to the first voicemail, it was the Cowboys’ owner and general manager.
“Hey, I got some good news I want to share with you,” Prescott said while doing his best Jones impression. “I called him back and he was excited. A lot of excitement from the both of us.”
Dak Prescott, George Pickens, CeeDee Lamb pic.twitter.com/ZHOnwmUkqI
— Jon Machota (@jonmachota) May 20, 2025
It’s easy to understand why Prescott would support the move. Pickens has the size and play-making ability that was much-needed in the team’s wide receiver corps. It was on display during the team’s first organized team activity practice open to reporters on Tuesday.
Pickens is every bit of the 6-3, 200 pounds he’s listed on the team’s official roster. He lined up outside with the first-team offense during several team-drill reps. While he didn’t have any highlight catches, it’s not difficult to envision the problems he will cause for opponents when lined up alongside CeeDee Lamb, Jalen Tolbert and KaVontae Turpin. That group was on the field when Turpin caught a slant that he turned into a long touchdown run. Pickens ran with the speedy receiver along the sideline into the endzone in celebration.
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“I mean, looking at the guy’s tape, you see what he does, the kind of receiver he is,” Prescott said of Pickens. “He’s going to win one-on-ones. He can win two versus one if he has to. Very, very talented guy. When you can add him alongside a CeeDee and the rest of the weapons we have, I’m super excited.”
Pickens and Lamb were often together before team drills, whether it was stretching, individual drills or working off to the side catching passes off a JUGS machine during the special teams period. Judging by their actions on the field and what they have said, the two seem to be focused more on how they can help each other rather than who will be getting more targets during the season.
What excites Lamb most about Pickens?
“Everything,” he said. “His demeanor. Everything he brings to the table: deep-threat ability, able to block. And just the energy he brings to the game. … We complement each other very well.”
New Cowboys WR George Pickens on his first interaction with Jerry Jones: “Super excited. It was like when you get a present on Christmas. He was just super happy.”
Pickens said nothing is finalized with his jersey number, so he might not be wearing No. 13 during the season pic.twitter.com/x6aqOIdng0
— Jon Machota (@jonmachota) May 20, 2025
Pickens and Lamb are familiar with each other from training together in the offseason. They now give the Cowboys the potential of two 1,000-yard receivers, similar to what the division rival Philadelphia Eagles have in A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith and the Washington Commanders have in Terry McLaurin and Deebo Samuel.
“It feels good,” Pickens said. “Fresh start is always a growing point. It feels good right now just getting around the guys. … It’s super rejuvenating, new city, new state, it’s super refreshing.”
Tolbert was also familiar with Pickens before the two became teammates. They faced off against each other in the Class 7A Alabama high school state championship game in 2016. Pickens’ Hoover team defeated Tolbert’s McGill-Toolen squad 17-7.
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“I love it,” Tolbert said of the trade. “It adds more firepower. That’s what we need. That’s going to be the fun part because you can’t guard all three of us or four or five, whoever is out there. Having another piece to the puzzle is special. … The ability we have and the firepower that can go out on that field and play alongside Dak at quarterback, it’s special.”
Pickens was a second-round pick in 2022. He has over 2,800 receiving yards in three seasons. But there’s a reason that the Pittsburgh Steelers traded him and a 2027 sixth-round pick in exchange for a 2026 third-round pick and a 2027 fifth-round pick. Some on-the-field character concerns led to Steelers coach Mike Tomlin saying in December that Pickens needed to grow up.
The Cowboys went into the offseason needing a No. 2 wide receiver. Had Tetairoa McMillan still been available at the No. 12 pick in this year’s draft, he would’ve been in a Cowboys uniform on Tuesday. But he went at No. 8 to the Panthers. Dallas chose not to reach for another wide receiver in the draft, making Pickens a realistic possibility.
The Cowboys believe they have the culture in place to be the ideal spot for Pickens to take his game to the next level, entering the final year of his rookie contract.
George Pickens pic.twitter.com/CculbCdAUj
— Jon Machota (@jonmachota) May 20, 2025
“My time with him has been just incredible,” head coach Brian Schottenheimer said. “I think we were all on board (with the trade). We’re always trying to find the right pieces and good pieces, and I think we’re really excited about what he brings as a football player. But I see a guy that’s maturing. I see a guy that we’re excited to put out there and watch him grow and get better.
“He’s obviously a tremendous athlete, but I love watching him in meetings, because in meetings, he’s been so dialed in, taking great notes. He knows he’s a little bit behind, not a lot, but a little bit behind in terms of what the veterans are doing. But intentionality in the meeting room has been really cool for me to see.”
(Photo of George Pickens running a play against teammate Kaiir Elam Tuesday: Jessica Tobias / Associated Press)
This news was originally published on this post .
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