George Pickens gushes over Cowboys’ scheme, philosphy as right fit

George Pickens is in his early days with the Cowboys but is already loving life in Dallas. The wide receiver is linked up with Dak Prescott and playing opposite CeeDee Lamb. A different situation than his previous stop in Pittsburgh, where Pickens was the primary target.

Speaking to the media on Wednesday, Pickens gushed over the Cowboys’ scheme and how he fits into the team’s overall philosophy. Speed appears to be the name of the game. It’s an area Pickens has been known for throughout his career, despite only running a 4.47 40-yard Dash before being drafted.

“Just the guys and the team speed,” Pickens said via Jon Machota of The Athletic. “The team speed applies to the scheme too. If you got a lot of fast guys, you’re gonna definitely have a different scheme.”

Part of why the Cowboys decided to trade for Pickens was due to the need for a vertical threat. Michael Gallup was the last guy who could go up and win contested passes for Prescott. Pickens does have a little more in his locker but head coach Brian Schottenheimer will not be afraid to get the wide receiver downfield.

In the tweet sent out by Machota, he added “Pickens said this is the most speed he’s played with since his time at Georgia.” Not too surprising to be discussing speed when an SEC team is involved, especially one of college football’s best programs out there. However, it’s potentially a shot at Pittsburgh and how their wide receiver room was built.

Pickens was a productive player in Pittsburgh despite the Steelers going through a carousel of quarterbacks throughout his career. In 48 games, Pickens has caught 174 passes for 2,841 yards and 12 touchdowns. The Steelers took him with the No. 52 overall pick back in the 2022 NFL Draft, investing a second-round pick on him before getting a third-round pick in return.

The 2024 season was good for 59 receptions for 900 yards and three scores. Numbers Dallas would certainly take as a second wide receiver, maybe wanting a few more touchdowns on the resume.

Before we know it, Pickens will be out on the field with a star on his helmet. Dallas will play on Opening Night of the season, facing off against Philadelphia. We will get a good look at the scheme Pickens is talking about against a quality Eagles secondary, having some speed of their own.