Shocking Trade News: George Pickens Wasn't Even the Cowboys' Top Target for a Major Move

During the earlier stages of the offseason, Jordan Schultz reported that the Dallas Cowboys attempted to trade for Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Rashod Bateman. 

Bateman, who signed a new deal with the Ravens, clearly isn’t in Dallas. Instead, the Cowboys ended up trading for Pittsburgh Steelers star George Pickens, and that might not be the worst thing. 

“Sources: During their pursuit of a receiver, the #Cowboys also looked into a trade for #Ravens WR Rashod Bateman. Those talks didn’t go far, and Dallas ultimately struck a post-draft deal with the #Steelers for George Pickens. 

“Dallas’ search for another receiver was a months-long process,” he wrote.

Is Bateman Better Than Pickens?

While Bateman is a decent player, it’s tough to ignore what Pickens has been throughout his career. There’s a reason why the Dallas Cowboys wanted to trade for both players, but Pickens is the better option. 

Coming off a season where he posted 900 yards on 59 receptions, good for 15.3 yards per catch, the hope is for Pickens to be even better in a Cowboys jersey. With how much better the Cowboys’ offense is than the Steelers, it shouldn’t be too much of a surprise if things go as planned. 

Regarding Bateman, however, he noted too that the Cowboys attempted to land him, and that he went through plenty with them.

“I went through a lot of things with the Cowboys and all of that with my contract,” Bateman said, per The Athletic. “There was a time when I didn’t know what was going to happen. (The Cowboys talks) were a thing, for sure. It was a possibility. I don’t want to deny that. But you know, DeCosta, he’s always making magic work, and he made it work. And I’m thankful for that.”

Would Bateman Have Wanted to Leave Baltimore?

Despite the interest that the Dallas Cowboys had in trading for Bateman, he told reporters, including The Athletic, that he was interested in returning to the Baltimore Ravens. 

Frankly, the Ravens have been a bit better of a team over the past few years, so it’s tough to blame him too much. While the Ravens haven’t found much success in the postseason, the idea is for them to eventually do so.

“That’s the first thing I told (GM Eric DeCosta): I don’t want to go anywhere else. ‘I know you’ve got a lot of stuff to work through and we’ll figure it out when we figure it out,’” Bateman told The Athletic. “It took time, but it takes time with a lot of people’s contracts. He had a lot of contracts to get done, and maybe more to get done in the future. To be a priority for him in that way is important. He shows he values me.”

Bateman has been a somewhat polarizing player throughout the first four years of his career. Unfortunately, he’s dealt with some injuries. However, when he’s on the field, he’s been very good, and that was evident last year when he posted 756 yards on 45 receptions, good for 16.8 yards per reception. 

He also had nine touchdowns, the most of his career.