Cowboys' CeeDee Lamb reveals 'night & day' difference after George Pickens trade

The Dallas Cowboys made a splash trade earlier this offseason when they acquired wide receiver George Pickens from the Pittsburgh Steelers in exchange for a 2026 third-round pick and two 2027 draft picks.

It's simple: the Cowboys haven't had an elite No. 2 receiver alongside CeeDee Lamb since Amari Cooper, and that needed to change if championship contention was going to be a realistic goal for the team entering the 2025 season.

Time will tell how things work out for the receiving corps but it's clear that Lamb is confident in what lies ahead.

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While speaking with reporters after training camp practice in Oxnard on Wednesday, Lamb didn't sugarcoat how big of a difference Pickens has made for him in the short time he's been with Dallas.

Dallas Cowboys receiver CeeDee Lamb catches the ball during training camp in Oxnard. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

“I mean, it's pretty much night and day," Lamb said.

This isn't a shot at any of the other notable wideouts on the roster, namely KaVontae Turpin and Jalen Tolbert, but is instead a testament to how highly Lamb views Pickens' talent.

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"When I have two guys on me, I can guarantee the ball is going to him," Lamb said of Pickens, via Nick Harris of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. "When two guys are on me, he’s one-on-one. Do what you want with that info. It’s honestly fun.

"Just him understanding the process of taking what we do in meetings and taking it out in the field and it immediately click with him in walk-throughs, it’s kind of impressive. I like that because I’m that type of receiver too.”

Dallas Cowboys receiver George Pickens at training camp at the River Ridge Fields. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Across his three seasons with the Steelers, Pickens played in 48 games while posting 174 catches for 2,841 yards and 12 touchdowns.

He and the Cowboys will begin the preseason against the Los Angeles Rams at SoFi Stadium on Aug. 9.

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