In March, Dallas Cowboys COO and co-owner Stephen Jones said the team needed to upgrade the wide receiver position behind CeeDee Lamb. Jones said, “We’re still open to looking at an explosive number two that could upgrade us.” After feeling the NFL draft did not provide the opportunity to solve that problem, the team circled back on trade talks after the draft and acquired George Pickens.
The trade came on a Wednesday, and there was little buzz around the rest of the NFL, so Dallas acquiring Pickens was in almost every headline for a few days. Albert Breer talked with Jones Friday morning about the deal and what it meant for the team’s plans in 2025 and beyond.
Stephen Jones feels that just because his father, Jerry Jones, said Dallas was “all-in” last season, it doesn’t mean this year would have been any different. Selectively aggressive seemed to be the team’s more accurate moniker after being more active than usual in free agency.
“I don’t buy into all that. Name one person that isn’t all in,” Jones said. “I’d hate the fans to hear their owner say that people aren’t all in, when you’re competing in the NFL … I mean, it’s kind of a joke. Every year we line up, we’re moving our chips in.”
The Cowboys played the long game at receiver and wanted to make sure they let the chips fall as they may as to who would become their best option behind Lamb. They would not force their hand, no matter how glaring the need. Instead, they set themselves up for multiple opportunities just in case something did not work out, like Tetairoa McMillan going to the Carolina Panthers.
“We had a nice list of guys that we were looking at, comparing that to what was available in the draft, and giving up the pick versus picking one,” Jones said. “And as you know, when you pick a receiver in the draft, you get him for a good number for four years, so obviously that was one of the routes we were looking at hard.”
The important thing, as Jones explained it, was not to go into the draft pressing needs in the first couple of rounds, or predetermining that a position had to be filled high: “I don’t think you draft well doing that … that’s not how we draft.”
The team felt that keeping their first three picks was important, considering the capital being handed out to their stars like Dak Prescott, CeeDee Lamb, Osa Odighizuwa, and Trevon Diggs. Dallas’ draft class was among the best in the league, largely because of their first three selections: Tyler Booker, Donovan Ezeiruaku, and Shavon Revel Jr.
Once the draft came and went, the team zeroed back in on getting a top-notch wide receiver, which brought Pickens’ name back up for discussion. The receiver’s past haunts his public perception, something Breer points out the Cowboys knew would have to be discussed.
Not only would he have to fit into the culture being built, but as Breer says, “the prospect does exist where Pickens is on the move again in 2026, with Dallas protected to a degree in that the Cowboys would get a comp pick back if he leaves via free agency.”
“He’s just a dynamic receiver,” Jones said. “Everybody says we’re looking for a [number] two. I mean, George can be a one. He’s got that type of talent. He’s got unbelievable ball-tracking ability. He’s got plenty of juice and he’s a fiery competitor. And we love that, he plays with an edge, and we think he’d be a good fit for our team.”
On Monday, during an interview on Mad Dog Radio with Adam Schein, Jones said the team sees similar qualities in Pickens as they had in Dez Bryant back in the day. Later, Bryant confirmed on Twitter that he and Jones shared text messages back and forth about how exciting the trade was.
In the end, Breer points out that the move for Pickens was “not made in a vacuum”; instead, “it’s part of a larger picture” the Cowboys are trying to build for first-year head coach Brian Schottenheimer. The front office drafted the offensive lineman to protect Prescott in the pocket and help establish the run game. They also traded for a top-flight receiver to boost their passing attack, not to mention the players added to the defensive side of the ball.
Dallas has fortified itself on all fronts, leaving nearly no gaps on the roster heading into offseason workouts. Jerry Jones was praised for the move when the Pickens news emerged on May 7. However, Nick Harris states that while Jerry is the final decision maker, “Stephen Jones has taken on a bigger role this offseason,” which could be why the team has been more aggressive this offseason compared to their previous seasons.
I see some fans giving Jerry Jones a lot of credit for how the Cowboys attacked the offseason. While he is the head honcho at the end of the day, Stephen Jones has taken on a bigger role this offseason and it’s been reflected in the team’s moves. https://t.co/QqRZ3yY396
— Nick Harris (@NickHarrisFWST) May 7, 2025