We’ve seen the Dallas Cowboys open with a split in their first two games of this NFL season, and along the way, some trendlines have emerged, both positive and negative. The worries about the defense remain real, as there are injuries piling up ahead of Sunday’s game in Rio against the Ravens, and the team has still not figured out how to slow down opposing running games. Even the Cowboys’ own running game, a strength from last season, has emerged as a concern. The passing offense has been brilliant behind Dak Prescott, but one feature does stand out there, too: George Pickens has just not gotten going.
Pickens is coming off a breakout year for the Cowboys in 2025, in which he went for 93 catches, 1,429 yards and nine touchdowns. Those were career highs for him across the board. But this year, facing tougher defenses and more double-team looks, Pickens’ impact has been muted. He has nine catches for 68 yards.
Cowboys Are Keeping the Faith
In response to those light numbers, Pickens has said he is drawing more defensive attention and as long as he keeps doing that, he is helping CeeDee Lamb and the rest of the Cowboys pass-catchers to thrive.
The Cowboys, certainly, are not panicking. As coach Brian Schottenheimer pointed out, Pickens thrived last year, too, despite a slow start in the opening two weeks: “If you look at George last year, he didn’t take off until. A couple games in. And the rest, as they know, is history how well he played. I have no questions about him and his readiness. He’ll be ready to go this week.”
Jerry Jones: George Pickens ‘An Outstanding Teammate’
Speaking on 105.3 The Fan in Dallas on Friday, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said he appreciates how open Pickens has been as a teammate, and all but guaranteed the star receiver would have some big days ahead.
Said Jones: “It’s hard to overstate George Pickens’ role and how good a teammate he is. He is outstanding. He creates energy among his teammates because he loves to play the game out there. He has such ability that, that plus that attitude and recognizing how effective he can be really makes him a valued teammate as well as valuable to us as far as winning these games.
“There’s no question Lamb does benefit from the fact that George is out there, they’ve got some coverage on him that should give us some openings there, both for Lamb and our tight ends and the running backs as well—get the ball to them in the passing game. But George will get his. There’s no doubt in my mind that when the dust is settled, he will absolutely be up there with the top reception leaders in the league in my mind.”
Cowboys Have ‘No Doubt’ George Pickens Trend Will Change