FRISCO, Texas — When they lost All-Pro wide receiver CeeDee Lamb to an ankle injury against the Chicago Bears, the Cowboys lost their identity along with him, at least in that particular contest, though George Pickens was able to step up and impact the game by scoring the one and only touchdown for Dallas in the 31-14 loss.
And with Lamb set to miss the looming, and highly pivotal, primetime matchup against the visiting Green Bay Packers and, guess who, All-Pro pass rusher and former Cowboys' defender Micah Parsons, the brightest light on offense now shifts to Pickens and his ability.
"You can tell a person that's missing," Pickens said of Lamb's injury. "But we've always got to show up for Dak — all the other receivers as well. We're just trying to stay on the same page, and hoping [Lamb's] recovery goes well."
As it stands, Lamb could miss more than one contest, and though the timeline for his return is currently undetermined, what is certain is the fact Pickens has an opportunity, effective immediately, to show what he can do as the No. 1 receiver in an offense that features an All-Pro and former MVP runner-up at quarterback.
"Oh, it's a great opportunity," said Pickens. "I already kind of showcase, but I just want to show up for Dak, and show for the team and get a dub. … I just have to make plays, run the right routes and, you know, show up for Dak."
The chemistry between the two got off to a hot start this offseason, immediately following the trade in May, and it manifested in a big way throughout training camp and in a growing fashion as the first three games of the 2025 season rolled along — the interception in Chicago created by Pickens notwithstanding.
And it's that exact chemistry Prescott believes will allow Pickens to seamlessly transition to all that comes with being WR1 for the Cowboys until Lamb can return to action in the near future.
"Yeah, it's where we need it to be on this point," Prescott said of his timing and telepathy with Pickens. "Obviously, there's always gonna be growth. That's with any receiver. Anybody that I play with, we're never complacent, and we're always gonna push it.
"I'm very comfortable, and very confident, in what he's gonna do, where I expect him to be, and where he expects the ball. Those communications are continuously happening."
He went on to describe an example from Thursday's practice to illustrate his point.
"A conversation we just had out there today was one that was needed after a couple of incompletions on a certain ball — just getting back at it and us having the same mindset of how we're gonna attack that route," said Prescott. "He's a great player. I told you all that from the time he showed up. These receivers, guys like George CD, they make it easy for that chemistry to grow.
"They go do their job and I just talk to them a little bit about what I expect here, what I expect there, and they go make plays; and so I'm looking just to continue to build on what we've only started."
There is simply no overstating the magnitude of the loss of Lamb by the Cowboys' offense, but the trade for Pickens has a chance at proving more fortuitous and wise than even initially believed, but that starts with trying to stun the world and upset the Packers at AT&T Stadium under the primetime lights.
Without Lamb on the field, Pickens expects defenses to cover him very differently, but he's also not exactly shying away from the smoke.
"Oh yeah, most definitely," he said. "I love that."
