Was it worth the wait? The Dallas Cowboys finally upgraded their wide receiver room and they did so in emphatic fashion, acquiring George Pickens from the Pittsburgh Steelers in a blockbuster trade that seemingly came together overnight and was finalized early Wednesday.
While Pickens comes with a lot of baggage that will need to be harnessed by first-year head coach Brian Schottenheimer, Pickens gives the Cowboys something at the WR position they haven’t had since Dez Bryant.
It’s a seismic roll of the dice by Schottenheimer and the Jones family – one they deserve credit for, but could ultimately end up in disaster.
George Pickens trade details show Cowboys grossly overpaid again
According to Nick Harris of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, the Cowboys gave up a 2026 third-round pick and a 2027 fifth-round pick, while getting a 2027 sixth-round pick in return from Pittsburgh.
BREAKING: #Cowboys have finalized a trade with the #Steelers to acquire WR George Pickens in a blockbuster deal, source confirms to @startelegram.
MORE on what it means for Dallas’ WR room and how Pickens fits into the future ⬇️https://t.co/qqnBskaZah
— Nick Harris (@NickHarrisFWST) May 7, 2025
It goes without saying Pickens is a massive upgrade over Jalen Tolbert and Jonathan Mingo, whom Jerry Jones preached confidence in fulfilling the WR2 role. He only just turned 24 years old and is one season removed from leading the NFL with 18.1 yards per catch.
However, a third-round pick is a big price to pay so far out from the 2026 NFL Draft. Per Dianna Russini of The Athletic, Dallas initially offered a fourth-round pick for Pickens. Feeding off Jerry Jones’ desperation, Pittsburgh held firm and got a third and a fifth.
Generally speaking, players cost more if they have multiple years left on their contract.
While Pickens is a dynamic talent with the production to match, he is entering the final year of his rookie deal, meaning the Cowboys will have to decide whether to extend him – likely at $25 million per year or thereabouts – or franchise tag him next offseason.
They could just let him walk in free agency, but a team that champions draft capital as much as Dallas does not give up third-round picks will-nilly.
On the surface, this trade does have the makings of a one-year rental. In that same vein, Pickens isn’t the kind of player a front office should want to give more than a one-year deal because of his inability to keep his emotions in check during games.
The Cowboys definitely overpaid, but they probably had to.
