Everyone knows that the Dallas Cowboys have a glaring need for a wide receiver two. Before the draft, owner Jerry Jones teased that he was working on two significant trades, but nothing came of it. Now, some are theorizing that one of the receivers Jerry was eyeing just before the draft was George Pickens. Even during the draft, the team was looking for a wideout that fans say is similar to Pickens.
Advertisement
Why another receiver? CeeDee Lamb is an incredible player. He’s led the Cowboys in receiving for each of the past four seasons. But he can’t do it all himself. Last season, Lamb was not as productive as he could’ve been. He still topped 1000 receiving yards, but he struggled his way there and ended with his least amount of yards since 2021. The next leading receiver on the team was Jalen Tolbert with 610.
There’s no way around it for Dallas: they need a second option at wideout to open up more space for Lamb. That’s why Jerry Jones was reportedly thinking about drafting Arizona wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan.
Unfortunately, McMillan was picked just before the Cowboys’ turn at the 12th slot. Then it was reported that Jerry was making a run at an AFC North wide receiver, which naturally led some fans to assume it was Pickens. He’s a solid young receiver and is on the trade block for Pittsburgh. However, no trade ended up coming to fruition.
[Archer] Leading up to the draft, the Cowboys had discussions with an AFC North team regarding a veteran wide receiver, but nothing came to fruition, according to multiple sources. They had wanted to draft Tetairoa McMillan, but he was selected before their pick.
byu/Goosedukee innfl
Redditors were pretty certain that Pickens was the one being linked to the Cowboys. They believe it makes sense, given that he shares a similar archetype to Tet.
“Not to mention that he’s a relatively comparable archetype to Tet. Obviously it’s not fair to either to say that one can play the exact same role as the other, but if you’re looking at Tet and think he’s a missing piece on your team, it only makes sense that you’d kick the tires on a potential Pickens trade as well,” one user commented.
Comment
byu/Goosedukee from discussion
innfl
However, not everyone thought that the receiver in question was Pickens. Others thought that it must have been Jerry Jeudy who was being discussed.
“Dude, it’s Jerry Jones. It’s gotta be someone like Jerry Juedy,” they wrote.
Comment
byu/Goosedukee from discussion
innfl
Some also cheekily joked that Jerry would have gone with a shameless offer to the Bengals for Ja’Marr Chase in what would be a blockbuster deal.
“‘Hey, it’s Jerry, you guys trying to sell Chase? No? Okay, (at least) I tried,'” another joked.
So what’s next for the Cowboys? They didn’t draft a wide receiver or trade for one on draft day. Are they really going to head into next season with the same options? Well, evidence suggests it’s almost a sure thing that Jerry will trade for an explosive wide receiver like Pickens to pair up with Lamb. So, for now, we’re just sitting back and waiting for that move to happen.
Pickens would be a solid addition, but there are other options available too. The Dolphins aren’t looking to trade him before June 1st, but Tyreek Hill has hinted at wanting out. Garrett Wilson is also due for a contract extension soon, and with the Jets in rebuild mode, they might not want to spend the cash.
Plus, there are still free-agent wideouts on the market. Amari Cooper is without a team and would likely welcome a reunion with Dallas. Diontae Johnson might be a locker room headache, but he’s still available. Keenan Allen, Elijah Moore, and Robert Woods are all unsigned as well. The Cowboys have several options beyond Pickens.
