The Dallas Cowboys pulled off a blockbuster trade on May 7, 2025, acquiring Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver George Pickens for a 2026 third-round pick, a 2027 fifth-round pick, and a 2026 sixth-round pick swap, as reported by NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. The move gives Dallas a dynamic No. 2 receiver to pair with All-Pro CeeDee Lamb, addressing a critical need after a 7-10 season in 2024. For the Steelers, trading Pickens—who clashed with coaches and posted 900 yards in a rocky 2024—signals a pivot to their new star, DK Metcalf, acquired in March 2025. With Dak Prescott back from injury and a revamped offense under coach Brian Schottenheimer, Pickens could be the spark Dallas needs. Let’s dive into the trade details, what it means for both teams, and how Pickens fits with the Cowboys’ star-studded roster.
The trade ends Pickens’ three-year tenure with Pittsburgh, where he flashed elite potential but struggled with consistency and off-field issues. A 2022 second-round pick (No. 52 overall) out of Georgia, where he won a national championship in 2021, Pickens burst onto the NFL scene with 52 catches for 801 yards and four touchdowns in 15 games as a rookie. His 2023 breakout—63 catches, 1,140 yards, five TDs, and a league-leading 18.1 yards per catch—showcased his big-play ability, with highlight-reel grabs like a 71-yard touchdown against Baltimore. In 2024, despite missing three games with a hamstring strain, he managed 59 catches for 900 yards and three scores, though his 15.3 yards per catch and 2.98 yards per route run (per PFF) were marred by two unsportsmanlike conduct penalties and a sideline spat with Cleveland’s Greg Newsome II. Pittsburgh’s quarterback carousel—Kenny Pickett, Mitch Trubisky, Mason Rudolph, Russell Wilson, and Justin Fields—didn’t help, with Pickens often voicing frustration over targets (103 in 2024, 10th among WRs).
For Dallas, the trade is a coup. Lamb, a 2020 first-rounder (No. 17 overall), has been a one-man show, racking up 101 catches for 1,194 yards and six TDs in 2024 despite missing two games with a shoulder sprain. His 2023 season—135 catches, 1,749 yards, 12 TDs, and First-team All-Pro honors—set the bar, but the Cowboys’ WR2 options, Jalen Tolbert (33 catches, 411 yards) and KaVontae Turpin (18 catches, 233 yards), couldn’t stretch defenses. Pickens, at 6-foot-3 with a 4.47-second 40 and 52.9% contested-catch rate (per PFF), is a deep threat who complements Lamb’s quick-route dominance (7.8 average depth of target, 583 YAC). With defenses doubling Lamb on 28.6% of routes (per Next Gen Stats), Pickens’ 14.2 ADOT should feast on single coverage, potentially unlocking Dallas’ 20.8 points per game (20th in 2024).
Prescott, 31, is the key. Despite a 2024 season cut short by a Week 9 hamstring avulsion (2,978 yards, 11 TDs, eight INTs in eight games), his 2023 campaign—4,516 yards, 36 TDs, and Second-team All-Pro honors—shows his ceiling. Signed to a four-year, $240 million extension in 2024, Prescott’s the Cowboys’ longest-tenured player after Zack Martin and DeMarcus Lawrence retired, per Spotrac. His 108.7 passer rating on play-action and 11.1 yards per completion on deep throws pair perfectly with Pickens’ 15.3 yards per catch and Lamb’s 80.1 PFF receiving grade. Schottenheimer’s offense, which boosted Washington to 27.4 points per game in 2024, thrives on tempo and verticality, and Pickens’ 900-yard floor gives Prescott a weapon to push Dallas’ 7.2 yards per attempt (16th) into the top 10.
For Pittsburgh, trading Pickens clears the deck for Metcalf, signed to a four-year, $132 million deal after a 2024 trade from Seattle. Metcalf’s 1,234 yards and eight TDs in 2024 dwarf Pickens’ output, and his 6-foot-4 frame fits Mike Tomlin’s vision for a physical WR1. The Steelers, 9-8 in 2024 with a wild-card loss, leaned on Wilson (3,299 yards, 23 TDs) and Fields (1,106 rushing yards), but Pickens’ off-field antics—late practices, a near-trade request in April 2025, per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler—eroded trust. The third-round pick and late-pick swap bolster Pittsburgh’s draft capital (nine picks in 2026), and Calvin Austin III (34 catches, 456 yards) and rookie Roman Wilson (22 catches, 298 yards) provide depth. Still, losing Pickens’ 2,978 career yards (13 TDs) stings for a team that ranked 25th in passing (185.7 yards per game).
The Cowboys’ trade cost—a 2026 third-rounder and a 2027 fifth for a 24-year-old with Pickens’ upside—is a steal compared to past WR deals (e.g., Amari Cooper for a fifth in 2018). Dallas’ $8.1 million cap hit for Pickens in 2025 (final year of his $6.8 million rookie deal) is manageable, with $84.7 million projected cap space in 2026, per Over The Cap, for a potential extension ($94 million over four years, per Spotrac). Risks linger: Pickens’ maturity issues, including a one-catch dud against Cincinnati in 2024, could clash with Schottenheimer’s locker-room reset, which paired Lamb and Micah Parsons to foster leadership. Dallas’ 17 fumbles and 104 penalties in 2024 demand discipline, but Lamb’s veteran presence (fifth in receptions since 2020) and Prescott’s 65.1 QBR could stabilize him.
The Cowboys’ 7-10 season exposed offensive woes—20.2% pressure rate allowed (10th-worst), minus-7 turnover differential—but Pickens, Lamb, Jake Ferguson (65 catches), and Rico Dowdle (803 rushing yards) form a dynamic core. Mike Zimmer’s defense (28 turnovers forced in Minnesota in 2019) and Parsons’ 14.5 sacks give Dallas a foundation to challenge Philly (14-3) and Washington (10-7) in the NFC East. Pickens’ 18.1 yards per catch in 2023 could push Dallas’ 20th-ranked EPA per play into the top 10, especially with Prescott’s 4,500-yard potential. For the Steelers, the trade bets on Metcalf and draft picks to sustain their 9-8 trajectory, but losing Pickens’ explosiveness risks a step back in a loaded AFC North.
This trade reshapes both teams. Dallas, with Lamb’s 1,194 yards and Pickens’ 900, could boast a top-five passing attack, ending their playoff drought. Pittsburgh, banking on Metcalf’s dominance, aims to stay competitive with Wilson’s 104.7 passer rating. For Cowboys fans, Pickens’ arrival—paired with Lamb’s cryptic nod—sparks hope of a 12-win revival. With Schottenheimer’s culture and Prescott’s arm, Dallas is all-in.
