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The Dallas Cowboys knew exactly what they needed to do this offseason in order to get back to winning football. Despite Jerry Jones and his front office taking a more reserved approach to free agency, they had a plan. Fans weren't fully convinced, though, even after a draft that was praised by most analysts. The reason for fans' skepticism about the Cowboys' offseason was the lack of additions on offense.
Dallas opted to focus solely on defense in free agency, then selected three defensive players to just two in the first five rounds of the 2025 NFL Draft. They had a trick up their sleeve, though, which was revealed on Wednesday morning in the form of a trade for talented wideout George Pickens from the Pittsburgh Steelers. Expected to draft a wide receiver at 12th overall, the team completely ignored the position in the draft. But they clearly had a good feeling they could get Pickens at some point.
The front office has solved a major problem, as CeeDee Lamb will now have a running mate that will take pressure off of him. Pickens' personality could prove to be an issue, which it obviously did in Pittsburgh, but there's another layer to the Pickens trade that makes the move risky.
George Pickens willing to wait until free agency for bigger contract
According to reports, Pickens and the Cowboys have no plans of negotiating a contract extension yet. His rookie contract expires after the 2025 season, so he's hoping for a big year in order to cash in next offseason.
That puts Jones in a tough position. He has already parted with a third round pick to get Pickens, and now doesn't have any leverage in a contract extension negotiation.
Pickens has been productive, but he could explode in a career-best year in an explosive offense like the Cowboys have. If he does, then he's in line for a massive contract as a 25-year-old free agent. Jones will have to pay up if he wants to keep him in that case.