The Dallas Cowboys finally have the No. 2 wide receiver they've been looking for.
Desperate to add another high-potential playmaker to quarterback Dak Prescott's arsenal, the Cowboys acquired former 1,000-yard receiver George Pickens from the Pittsburgh Steelers on Wednesday. America's Team also picked up a 2027 sixth-round pick in the deal, while picks in the 2026 (3rd round) and 2027 (6th round) drafts went back the other way.
Even though the trade is still fresh, that hasn't stopped fans from already wondering about Pickens' long-term future in Dallas. The newest Cowboys WR will play the 2025 season on the final year of his rookie contract, leaving what comes next up in the air.
Cowboys WR George Pickens Isn't Thinking About Next Contract Before 2025 Season
Thursday marked Pickens' first official day with the Cowboys, and it didn't take long for Prescott's newest weapon to make his future intentions clear.
"I'm kinda where my feet are right now, to be honest," Pickens told The Athletic's Jon Machota. "I'm not really thinking about contract talks. I'm just glad to be with the Cowboys right now, trying to build a winning culture."
New Cowboys WR George Pickens on being in the final year of his rookie contract: "I'm kinda where my feet are right now, to be honest. I'm not really thinking about contract talks. I'm just glad to be with the Cowboys right now, trying to build a winning culture."
— Jon Machota (@jonmachota) May 8, 2025
For starters, Cowboys fans are likely relieved to learn that Pickens won't let his next contract be a distraction this season. Dallas already went through never-ending extension conversations with Prescott and CeeDee Lamb just last year, and the last thing the fanbase wanted was for history to repeat itself — especially when Micah Parsons' future is already uncertain.
Second, even though he isn't ready to sign an extension yet, Pickens' willingness to help "build a winning culture" in Dallas should also fire up Cowboys fans. Cultures take more than one season to build, especially when there's a first-year head coach like Brian Schottenheimer around, meaning the ex-Steelers WR might be open to a long-term future in the Lone Star State.
With that in mind, Cowboys fans certainly wouldn't complain if Pickens wanted to spend the next few years in town.
Drafted 52nd overall by the Steelers in 2022, Pickens has found immediate NFL success to the tune of 2,841 receiving yards and 12 touchdowns on 174 catches in 48 career outings. He showed his elite upside with 1,140 receiving yards and an NFL-leading 18.1 yards per reception in 2023. His 64.3 receiving yards per game in 2024 had him on pace to hit the 1,000-yard mark again, had injuries not forced him to miss three outings.
Still, Pickens' 59-900-3 stat line from last season is better production than any Cowboys wideout who isn't Lamb. Assuming the former Georgia Bulldog picks up immediately from where he left off, another dazzling receiving performance could be in the cards for this fall.
Week 1 of the 2025 NFL season is still around four months away, leaving plenty of time to kill before Pickens plays meaningful games. In the meantime, the Cowboys are currently tied for the 17th-best Super Bowl 60 odds (+4500) on FanDuel Sportsbook as the offseason rolls on.
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