The Dallas Cowboys are off to a 2-3-1 start to the season, and while the team is struggling to find its footing behind first-year head coach Brian Schottenheimer, wide receiver George Pickens has excelled.
Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, at a press conference for the East-West Shrine Bowl, talked about extending Pickens, who will be a free agent after this season.
“Certainly Pickens is playing outstanding,” Jones said. “He is doing more than we could have, than we did expect, or that we could have expected. And what’s really special is he’s a real plus to have around the team. He’s a real plus around his teammates. He’s a great plus around those coaches, and those coaches really think highly of him, and so he’s not only doing it on the field, he’s doing it as a part of the team concept.
“That’s very important, and in his particular case, which should be noted. But you know, we’ll weigh that. We knew full well that if things really went like we want ‘em to go, that, certainly, we need to think about having some room available if we’re going to pay a second receiver at that level.”
Pickens, traded by the Pittsburgh Steelers, has been one of the Cowboys’ best players this season with 32 receptions for 525 yards and a career-high six touchdowns. He has stepped up for the team in the absence of CeeDee Lamb, who has been out of action since Week 3.
If the Cowboys decide not to extend Pickens, they could try and recoup value by trading the wide receiver before the trade deadline to a team looking for help at the position.
While the Cowboys have struggled to start the season, they’re only 1.5 games behind the NFC East-leading Philadelphia Eagles (4-2), who have lost two straight games. Dallas could pass the Washington Commanders (3-3) for second place with a win in their game at 3:25 p.m. Sunday at AT&T Stadium.