Rival coach sends warning to NFL about Cowboys’ George Pickens trade

The Dallas Cowboys' 2025 offseason was driven by a flurry of trades, most notably for disgruntled receiver George Pickens. While Pickens comes with a laundry list of concerns, rival coaches and executives are aware of how dangerous he makes Dallas' offense.

Receiver was a significant issue for the Cowboys in 2024, as their unit was a one-man crew with CeeDee Lamb running the show. However, Pickens' inclusion allows Dallas' offense to “open up,” an anonymous coach told ESPN.

“Dealing with CeeDee and him opens things up for them,” the coach said.

Despite the Cowboys' quarterback issues, Lamb led the way with 1,194 receiving yards in 2024. Behind him, third-year wideout Jalen Tolbert was second on the team with just 610 receiving yards. Dallas entered the season with higher expectations for tight end Jake Ferguson and veteran wideout Brandin Cooks, but both disappointed.

Pickens is coming off a 900-yard season on just 59 catches. He is two years removed from the first and only 1,000-yard campaign in his career. Pickens likely would have surpassed that mark for the second consecutive season had he not missed three games with a hamstring injury in 2025.

In addition to Pickens, the Cowboys also acquired quarterback Joe Milton III and cornerback Kaiir Elam via trade. Milton and Elam both address positions of need, as Dallas lost longtime backup quarterback Cooper Rush and star nickelback Jourdan Lewis in free agency.

George Pickens joins Cowboys' revamped passing attack

Pickens will be a key addition to the Cowboys' offense in 2025, but not the only one. After playing just eight games in 2024, Dak Prescott will be ready to return and resume his role under center by Week 1.

Without Prescott, Dallas' offense struggled immensely in 2024. Then-head coach Mike McCarthy was confident in longtime backup Cooper Rush, but the eighth-year veteran threw for just 1,844 yards in 12 games, fewer than Prescott managed in his eight outings. Dallas also gave former first-round pick Trey Lance an opportunity, to no avail.

Despite struggling with injuries all year, Dallas still managed to go 7-10 and keep itself in the playoff race longer than most expected. The disappointing year has not lowered the team's expectations, as the Cowboys remain locked on winning the NFC East and competing for a Super Bowl.