How do pundits grade the Dallas Cowboys’ trade for wide receiver George Pickens?
The Dallas Cowboys traded a 2026 third-round pick and a 2027 fifth-round pick in exchange for Pittsburgh Steelers’ wide receiver George Pickens and a 2027 sixth-round pick.
Pickens has had at least 800 yards and three touchdowns in each of three seasons in the NFL and should provide Dak Prescott with another playmaker to help ease the burden off All-Pro CeeDee Lamb.
How did pundits grade the trade?
Seth Walder, ESPN
After passing on the wide receiver position entirely in this year’s draft, the Cowboys finally got their second receiver to complement Lamb. Pickens is an excellent fit with Lamb, too. He’s an outside vertical receiver who will allow Lamb to maintain his heavy dosage of slot alignments in the Cowboys’ offense. Pickens ran go routes and deep fades 19% of the time last season, the 10th-highest rate among receivers with at least 300 routes run.
Vinnie Iyer, The Sporting News
Dallas has a clear alpha target in Lamb, who dominates targets and win a lot of matchups in the slot or outside. He remains Dak Prescott’s unquestioned go-to guy all over the field. But Pickens adds the missing field-stretching element and youth, only 24. The 2022 second-round draft pick had some flashes of big-play ability through the Steelers’ QB carousel, but was inconsistent and not always on the same page.
Jordan Dajani, CBS Sports
At 6-foot-3, 200 pounds, Pickens is a legitimate perimeter threat that should have Dak Prescott giddy. He will open up things for Lamb, and vice versa. On paper, the Cowboys just created one of the best wide receiver duos in the league. After last year’s incredibly disappointing offseason and the forgettable 2024 campaign that followed, these are the kinds of moves that Cowboys fans want to see from Jerry Jones.
Charles Curtis, For The Win
So it was clear they needed another wideout. They got one, but ... is Pickens really going to be happier in the Cowboys’ offense? Lamb is at the center of it all, and Dak Prescott hasn’t exactly been the healthiest or the best at the position. Still, it might be worth a gamble to see if a change in scenery helps Pickens.
John Buhler, Fansided
Right now, I am going to declare Dallas the slight winners in this trade. The Cowboys landed the better or more proven player. For better or worse, they have an identity as an offense for this season going forward. Rather than play Martyball like his late father would have done, Brian Schottenheimer is going to make Prescott throw the ball a ton to Lamb and Pickens. I could get behind that a bit more.
Caio Miari and Daniel Valente, The Score
Yes, Pickens fills a major need. But at what cost? Dallas gave up a 2026 third-round pick (and a 2027 fifth-rounder) to acquire a receiver who may end up being just a one-year rental. If the Cowboys decide to reward Pickens with a long-term extension, good luck with that. There’s a big risk in committing to a receiver as volatile as Pickens, who could become a problematic distraction as the clear No. 2 guy behind Lamb.
Jacob Camenker, USA TODAY
There’s little doubt Pickens will be an upgrade for Dallas’ receiving corps. The 6-3, 200-pound receiver served as a downfield playmaker for the Steelers because of his ability to consistently win 50-50 balls. His size and physicality pair well with that of Lamb, so the duo could be an imposing pair for opposing defenses to contain.
This story was originally published May 7, 2025 at 10:24 AM.
