Jeremy Fowler reveals why George Pickens trade to Dallas Cowboys has teams’ ‘full attention’

As the Dallas Cowboys searched for a wide receiver to go opposite CeeDee Lamb, they turned to Pittsburgh as they traded for George Pickens. According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, that move has multiple teams’ “full attention.”

Dallas sent a 2026 third-round pick and a 2027 fifth-round pick to the Steelers as part of the deal, which also sees a 2026 sixth-rounder head to Pittsburgh. That gave the Cowboys a dynamic receiver to go opposite Lamb, who’s entering the second year of a lucrative contract extension.

When the trade went down, teams started paying attention to the Cowboys’ plans for Pickens, Fowler said. That includes teams in the NFC East. If the former Georgia star can put it all together, things could get interesting in Dallas.

“The spotlight is on him because I’ve talked with a lot of people around the league, including the NFC East. That Pickens trade has their full attention,” Fowler said Saturday on SportsCenter. “They believe that really does add a new dimension because he’s one of the best contested ball-catchers in the entire league. If he can stay on the upright, keep that maturity sort of in check in a contract year, he’ll do big things with CeeDee Lamb and Dak Prescott.”

Pickens appeared in 14 games last season as he missed some time with an injury. During that time, he hauled in 59 receptions for 900 yards and three touchdowns as a key piece of the Steelers’ passing attack. That came after an impressive second year in the NFL in 2023 when he had a career-high 1,140 yards and five touchdowns. His 18.1 yards per reception led the league that season.

The Steelers’ decision to trade Pickens came as they overhauled their wide receiver corps this offseason. Pittsburgh made a notable deal with the Seattle Seahawks to acquire DK Metcalf, and the franchise gave him a four-year contract worth $132 million after the trade went through. Additionally, the Steelers brought in Aaron Rodgers at quarterback after a long pursuit.

As for George Pickens, he’ll now get to play alongside Lamb, who is coming off his fourth straight 1,000-yard season. As for how the two will fit together, the Cowboys star said they complement each other in more than just one area.

“Everything,” Lamb said. “His demeanor. Everything he brings to the table. Deep threat ability. Able to block. And just the energy he brings to the game. We complement each other very well.”