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How will the acquisition of George Pickens impact what Jake Ferguson can do on offense? – Daniel Absher/Sacramento, CA
Nick: Yes, more than any other player on the roster - in my opinion, of course. I've said it numerous times already and I firmly believe that Jake Ferguson stands to benefit the most of the George Pickens trade. More than CeeDee, more than Dak, more than the starting running back and even more than Pickens.
But if the Cowboys truly think they've got two No. 1 receivers, then it means they've got two guys you can't guard with one player. And if somehow a team tries to double-team both guys, then the tight end has to benefit the most. I think that will happen with Ferguson, who is coming off a down year mainly because he had a pair of injuries and couldn't get into the end zone. Other than that, he still caught over 50 balls and nearly had 500 yards.
I think not only will Ferguson have more stats, but it'll be the perfect season for it, considering he is entering a contract year. If the Cowboys want to get ahead of the game here, they sign Ferguson now to an extension because I do think he's going to have his best year of his career and the price tag will probably jump because of it.
Kurt: Pickens is going to help every facet of the offense, including what Ferguson can do in the passing game. Having two star receivers on the outside, and likely another viable option in the slot, will certainly open things up for the Cowboys' top tight end to do his work underneath, in the middle of the field and within the red zone.
Now, obviously where Ferguson could possibly suffer is that there are only so many balls to go around. Pickens has averaged 62 catches in his three seasons while Lamb's average is 104 per year. Hopefully, they will at least hit those marks again in 2025 for a total of 166. But Dak Prescott has averaged 350 completions in seasons when he's played at least 12 games, meaning there are still a good chunk of targets that could be coming Ferguson's way.
Since 2022 when he came into the NFL, Ferguson has been a top-10 tight end in catches, receiving yards and touchdowns. And this despite having a relatively down year last season. He also has a Pro Bowl appearance to his credit. So obviously Ferguson has already showed us he can be an impact player. Having Pickens on hand should only increase his effectiveness.
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