Predicting George Pickens Production in His Debut Season for the Cowboys
The Cowboys’ trading for new star receiver George Pickens gives Pickens a brand-new opportunity with a star quarterback in Dak Prescott. His addition to the Cowboys' offense will give them a one-two punch Dallas has not seen since Amari Cooper and CeeDee Lamb. Pickens, who will be playing alongside Lamb, will have the best opportunity to take on mismatches that come his way this season against number two corners. Now, how elite can Pickens be for the Cowboys this season?
1000-1100 Receiving Yards
It might seem a bit underwhelming to have his yards barely over 1,000, but rationally, it makes sense. His career high came in 2023 with 1140 yards, and joining a team with a solidified elite receiver, his yards would not be the highest. His play style of being a downfield threat is where he will get the majority of his yards. His receptions might not be the highest; most likely, he’ll catch 50-60 balls this season, but they will be huge impact plays. What could affect his yards could be the new style of offense Schottenheimer is ready to install, with it being a run-centric team and taking shots downfield. So, there could be a great chance with that new ideal offense that his numbers could skyrocket or fall lower.
Seven Touchdowns
This is a very bold prediction, as Pickens has never gone over five touchdowns in his career, but his role in Dallas is detrimental to the offense. He could have three to four deep ball touchdowns this season alone, and pairing him with Prescott, who excels in deep passes, is a match made in heaven. His ball tracking and catching ability, plus his deep threat characteristics, also play a huge role in the potential touchdowns he could have this season. Another factor to keep in mind is that Brandin Cooks in 2023 had this exact role, and he produced eight touchdowns. With all due respect for Cooks, Pickens at this moment is the far better player. So, in this role as a potential endzone connection with Prescott and the deep balls, Pickens’ number of touchdowns can rise even higher.
