The Dallas Cowboys always knew what they were getting into when they traded for George Pickens. As talented as he clearly was, he hadn't leaped Pittsburgh, partly because of their underwhelming passing game, and partly because of him.
Pickens spent as much time on the field as throwing tantrums on the sidelines and social media. Despite his athleticism and skills, former Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin essentially gave up on him before his rookie deal expired.
That's why, even after a breakout year and leading the Cowboys' passing game in Arlington, he still hasn't earned his keep. When asked about that, team owner/general manager/president Jerry Jones essentially let him know that he'll have one season to prove that he's worth a big-money deal:
“This is great from our view,” Jones told Yahoo Sports. “For him as well, it lets him really extend what he's got going right now in light of the fact that … when we got him, we got him for no other reason than because there was a long-term question. Through next year and this year, he’ll answer all those questions.”
Jerry Jones is giving George Pickens every chance possible to prove his worth
Numbers-wise, Pickens did more than enough to earn an extension. He led the team with 93 receptions, 1,429 yards and nine touchdowns. He stepped up when CeeDee Lamb was out with an injury, helping Brian Schottenheimer's team have one of the most explosive offenses in the game.
From a talent or health perspective, there's nothing not to like, either. He's just 25 years old and isn't even close to his prime, and he could give the Cowboys one of the best wide receiver tandems in recent history.
That said, he also had a couple of quiet games in big moments, and while he stayed out of trouble for the most part, he did miss that curfew in Las Vegas. Character concerns still linger, and it's entirely up to him to prove that he's mature and won't be more trouble than he's worth.
Pickens signed his franchise tag tender, even knowing that he could've made more money and gotten more years in free agency. He's essentially betting on himself, but he now knows that he won't be judged solely for what he can do on the field.
Still, given his hot temper and how these negotiations have ended in the past, it wouldn't be much of a surprise to see things go south from one second to the next. Jones likes to rub his players the wrong way with these statements, and Pickens might not appreciate his boss calling him out and questioning his character in public.
At the end of the day, the ball is in the Joneses court to extend Pickens in the future, and if they don't, a large chunk of that will be because of Pickens' behavior.
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