The signing of George Pickens for the Dallas Cowboys was met, for the most part, with fanfare, simply due to what it will do for CeeDee Lamb and Dak Prescott.
But it was what Hall of Famer Troy Aikman said a week ago regarding the move that has piqued our interest.
"I think it kind of probably puts everyone else in the spot that they should be, as far as when you start saying, 'Okay, who's your one, your two, who's your three?" And what that might look like," Aikman said.
Hmm, OK, Troy, we hear you.
For the past couple of seasons, one can easily say that the pecking order behind CeeDee has been jumbled.
It isn't now, and the ripple effect will likely be one of the biggest hidden positives from his trade.
How? Let us explain.
Last season, there was a key stretch where Jalen Tolbert was the No. 2 receiver behind CeeDee, thanks to Brandin Cooks' injury, posting a respectable 610 yards and an offense-leading seven touchdowns.
But Jalen's presence on the field didn't really move defenses either way, and his inconsistent performances aren't something that a genuine No. 2 should be doing.
However, now with Lamb and Pickens as the clear No. 1 and No. 2 weapons, that means Tolbert and his 610 yards will be the definitive third option, meaning less attention. Additionally, we can also put Kavonte Turpin or Jonathan Mingo in here as fourth receivers.
All four could see far more favorable matchups in 2025, which bodes well for the offense's performance.
As Aikman suggests, if Dak Prescott's four receivers are Lamb, Pickens, Tolbert, and Turpin/Mingo, everyone is where they are supposed to be regarding the depth chart.
Tolbert showed that he could be a No. 2, but his best is in the No. 3 slot, which is where he will be in Brian Schottenheimer's offense, and with everyone now in their "spot," the offense might function better as a result.
So while many laud the move for George and what it will do for Dak and CeeDee, don't forget what it will also do for the likes of Tolbert, Turpin, and Mingo as well.
