The Dallas Cowboys shook the NFL to its foundations by securing the services of wide receiver George Pickens from the Pittsburgh Steelers. Something that made the Washington Commanders' wideout trade earlier this offseason look like a bona fide steal.
Washington has a new dangerous weapon to counteract within the division. Jerry Jones revealed that the Cowboys were working on something big. Most thought that would be during the draft, but the owner/general manager had something else in mind.
Pickens is a volatile, often unpredictable pass-catcher. He's an exceptional performer at the top of his game, but can become petulant when things aren't going his way. And if head coach Mike Tomlin is willing to let him go, as he did with Antonio Brown and Diontae Johnson before their respective careers spiraled, that comes with an obvious red flag.
George Pickens trade confirms Commanders got a steal with Deebo Samuel Sr.
According to Adam Schefter of ESPN, the Cowboys are sending a third-round selection and a fifth-rounder (2027) to the Steelers for Pickens and a sixth-round pick (2027). This makes Adam Peters' outlay for All-Pro Deebo Samuel Sr. minuscule in comparison.
The Commanders sacrificed only a fifth-round pick for Samuel. He's older than Pickens with more tread on the tires. He's also got far more accomplished production under his belt despite a down year by his typically high standards with the Niners in 2024.
Pickens, like Samuel, is also entering the final year of his deal. It'll be much more expensive to extend the former Georgia standout, especially if he hits the ground running in Dallas. Considering the money already tied to quarterback Dak Prescott, wide receiver CeeDee Lamb, and a record-breaking deal imminent for All-Pro edge rusher Micah Parsons, that's going to impact the Cowboys' roster construction considerably.
Peters knows Samuel well. He knows his mindset, work ethic, and what makes him tick. He thought this was a risk worth taking, especially at the price. The South Carolina graduate is also eager to thrive in a winning environment after things became stale in San Francisco.
This makes the Commanders' decision to draft boundary cornerback Trey Amos at No. 61 overall even more important. But in Samuel, they also have someone capable of giving Washington a dynamic one-two punch at receiver alongside second-team All-Pro Terry McLaurin.
That's called meeting fire with fire. And the Commanders have a well-balanced roster capable of keeping the Cowboys at arm's length regardless of whether Pickens makes an impact or not.