When it comes to a great offense, good things normally come in threes. The Dallas Cowboys used the Hall of Fame trio of Emmitt Smith, Michael Irvin, and Troy Aikman to propel their dynasty in the 1990s, and another trio led by Tony Romo, Dez Bryant, and DeMarco Murray led Dallas to relevance in the early 2010s. Even in recent years, Dak Prescott, CeeDee Lamb, and Ezekiel Elliott have been the foundation of the Cowboys' offense, but Dallas may have finally found its latest third man in George Pickens.
Pickens had his breakout performance on Sunday night, catching eight passes for 134 yards and two touchdowns in a tie with the Green Bay Packers. His current start has him on pace for an 80-catch, 1,200-yard season with 16 touchdowns and has him set to cash in as he plays through the final year of his rookie contract.
After helping the Cowboys hang 40 points without Lamb and against one of the NFL’s top defenses, Cowboys fans may be looking ahead to see if Pickens stays beyond this year. But while Pickens may look like Dallas’ “third man,” he may have wound up becoming owner/general manager Jerry Jones’ next casualty.
George Pickens' Could Be Next Jerry Jones Casualty After Week 4
The Cowboys have invested in some of their elite talent in recent years, but each contract didn’t come without a fight from Jones. The Cowboys' owner has arguably been the face of the franchise since buying the team in 1989 and is one of the most influential people in the history of football, earning his spot in the Hall of Fame.
Jones is a shrewd businessman who has seen the value of the Cowboys skyrocket since his initial $140 million purchase. But in recent years, that’s translated to the negotiation table with some of the Cowboys’ top stars.
When he was discussing a contract with quarterback Dak Prescott in the summer of 2024, he stated bluntly (via The Athletic's Jon Machota) that “If you hadn’t seen it by now, you haven’t seen it” when referring to the star quarterback's value. He also gave another soundbyte that may explain his drawn-out negotiation tactics, saying he doesn’t care whether he has some of his star players under contract.
“I quit a long time ago getting bent out of shape about having anybody under contract or not,” Jones said. “There are all kinds of things other than a contract that could change the outcome of (Prescott) being under contract: injury, level of play. So you can’t just pick that and say that should give you a better feeling about our team or me a better feeling. The whole thing has a lot of moving parts.”
Those factors came into play this offseason when Micah Parsons sought a contract extension and Jones brought up his lack of health and the fact that they haven’t won a Super Bowl with him on the roster. While Prescott and Lamb were able to find a middle ground, Parsons was ultimately traded to Green Bay, leaving Cowboys fans to wonder who could be the next star that doesn’t stick around.
That’s where things get interesting for Pickens. Pickens came to Dallas in what could be described as an exploitative relationship. He was looking to rehab his value after three mercurial seasons in Pittsburgh, while the Cowboys were desperate for another receiver to line up across from Lamb. Although Dallas chose Pickens rather than the other way around, he likely saw America's Team as an opportunity to rehab his value and image, which has led to what Cowboys fans have seen so far.
Of course, that means going 10 rounds with Jones to get his next contract. Jones has shown a tendency not to pull punches, and if things get rough, Pickens could pack his bags and head somewhere else. There’s also a chance Pickens stays, realizing what the Cowboys have done for his career, but that only happens if the right contract offer is on the table.
Cowboys fans would love to pay Pickens and make him part of the next “Big Three” for years to come. Jones will have a say in whether that happens, though, meaning Pickens could be another odd man out in Dallas if the 82-year-old billionaire's old habits persist.