Cowboys Have Major Comparison for George Pickens

The Dallas Cowboys wasted no time in giving a former Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver a high bar to cross.

Oct 20, 2024; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver George Pickens (14) reacts after making a catch against the New York Jets during the second quarter at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images | Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

Star receiver George Pickens didn’t have great things to say about the Pittsburgh Steelers following his trade, but the Dallas Cowboys have high hopes for the talented 24-year-old. It didn’t take long for the Cowboys to draw comparisons between the former Steelers star and one of their franchise’s all-time greats.

According to Cowboys co-owner Stephen Jones, they view Pickens as more than just a secondary pass option and even goes as far as to compare Pickens to Dez Bryant.

Stephen Jones on new Cowboys WR George Pickens:

"We take him as more than a two (receiver) when we were looking at the deal. ... He reminds a lot in our building of Dez Bryant in terms of his competitiveness and what he brings to the field."
— Underdog NFL (@UnderdogNFL) May 12, 2025

"We take him as more than a two (receiver) when we were looking at the deal,” Johns said. “He reminds a lot in our building of Dez Bryant in terms of his competitiveness and what he brings to the field."

Bryant spent eight years with the Cowboys, was a three-time Pro-Bowler, and racked up three straight 1,000-yard seasons between 2012 and 2014.

Following a brief stint with the Baltimore Ravens in 2020, Bryan retired at the age of 32 with 75 career touchdowns, 7,506 yards, and averaged over 1,000 yards per season.

Pickens is joining the Cowboys second on their wide receiver depth chart behind CeeDee Lamb, but that doesn’t matter too much in the eyes of the front office. Like Jones said, they believe he has the talent of a top wideout and the potential to match the numbers of an icon within the organization.

Through the first three years of his NFL career, Pickens has caught 12 touchdowns and added a rushing TD. With a 1,000-yard season under his belt, it is conceivable that Pickens can emulate what Bryant was able to do with Dallas in his prime.

It’s always been clear that the talent is there with Pickens, he just needs to straighten up some of his on-field antics and he can easily grow into one of the best receivers in the game.

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