Maybe playing on the Cowboys‘ franchise tag is not going to be such a bad thing for star receiver George Pickens. After three years in Pittsburgh in which he was portrayed as a discipline problem and was swiped at for a lack of professionalism–perhaps some of which was deserved–Pickens had a breakthrough year in Dallas in 2025. You know the numbers: 93 catches, 1,429 yards, nine touchdowns, all career highs for a guy who not only had a breakout year but made a case to be a WR1.
Of course, the natural question was whether Pickens could do it again, whether he put up big numbers solely because he was focused in a free-agent year, or because he genuinely was unlocked with the Cowboys. The team itself had those doubts–it’s why they put him on the one-year, $27 million tag.
Hard to believe that there was consternation about how Pickens would respond to the tag. He skipped OTAs, which are voluntary, in early June, but was present at mandatory minicamp (though did not work much on the field). And training camp has been a different story altogether.
Dak Prescott: ‘He Has Shown Up and Been George Pickens’
By all accounts, Pickens has been sharp for the Cowboys, who are leaving Oxnard after three weeks to return to The Star. One of those accounts is the guy who matters most: Dak Prescott, who will be throwing passes to Pickens this year.
Prescott was asked whether he has been surprised by Pickens’ level at training camp.
He said: “He has showed up and been George. I can’t say it surprises me just because that’s what I have expected out of him from the moment he has been here, what he has shown us. You know, just going into training camp, playing on the tag, the guy wants to play football and he wants to be around his teammates.”
Cowboys Have Gotten Best From George Pickens
Showing up to Cowboys camp and being himself was the easy part. But Prescott said that there is also a vision for what Pickens can do within this offense that was not necessarily there last year, when Pickens was learning the offense on the go.
Prescott noted: “I think you get a vision of that every day and what that looks like when he gets on the field, he is just able to fully be George. Bring the energy. Making catches, making plays. Obviously, what he brings to this offense, we showed last year.”
Dak Prescott Excited for How Cowboys Will Use WRs
Cowboys offensive coordinator Klayton Adams said one of the differences for George Pickens this training camp has been the willingness to move him around, and him playing all the receiver positions to get a wider view of the offense, and how he can play off CeeDee Lamb and the other receivers.
Prescott said that is part of the vision for him.
“Now it’s just taking another step—not only for him and his game, but how we are going to use him, how we are going to use him as decoys, how other people are going to complement, how he and CeeDee go hand-in-hand,” the quarterback said. “They both can, you know, you’ve got to set your game plan up for both of them. He’s done everything I have expected of him, and he has put himself in a great position leaving Oxnard.”
Cowboys’ Dak Prescott Reveals Strong ‘Vision’ for George Pickens