FRISCO, Texas – Well, that didn't take long.
Was but a week ago high-fived the Dallas Cowboys draft while pointing out the residual effects becoming questions dealing with what the Cowboys didn't accomplish. You know, those concerning rejoinder "buts."
Like, and rightfully so, "But what about No. 2 receiver?"
Scratch off one of those "buts."
Try fourth-year receiver George Pickens, the Steelers ridding themselves of their perceived headache on the final year of his rookie contract they were highly hesitant to extend, especially after trading for DK Metcalf to become their presumptive No. 1 receiver, with the Cowboys acquiring the former second-round draft choice as a one-year rental at $3.65 million, that cap hit less expensive than if hitting on the 2026 third rounder they'd have for four years.
Hey, that's the price of doing necessary business, finding the Tonto to their lone Lamb, the Cowboys knowing all along after the draft did not fall their way that they'd have to acquire a wide receiver to fill their void behind Pro Bowler CeeDee Lamb.
Now, seen all these Pickens numbers over the first three years of his NFL career, his average line 58/947/16.3/4. But here is the one that caught me square between the eyes, an experienced impact the Cowboys sorely need to extract those double-teams off jamming Lamb:
The Cowboys have not had a receiver with at least 50 receptions averaging at least 15 yards per catch in a single season since Michael Gallup in 2019 caught 66 passes for a 16.8-yard average. Like, can that really be? Six seasons ago?
Last year, the highest average helping out Lamb was Jalen Brooks at 14.8 a catch, but that was over just 12 catches. In 2023, Gallup averaged 12.3 on 34 catches. In 2022, T.Y. Hilton 17.3 on but seven catches. In 2021, Cedric Wilson 13.4 on 45 catches. And in 2020, Gallup again, 14.3 on 59 catches.
Just no one to consistently create danger the other side of Lamb. Not consistently Gallup year to year. Not Amari Cooper. Not Brandin Cooks.
Granted, Pickens increasingly became a pain for Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin, and gosh the Cowboys haven't had one of those receivers since, well, at times Dez Bryant, and prior to that Terrell Owens, and of course that other Bryant, Antonio, 2002-04, until he wore out his welcome when throwing his practice jersey in frustration and anger at head coach Bill Parcells to earn his walking papers.
So Schotty and Uncle Junior (Adams, receivers coach), get to work. Dak Prescott and CeeDee, you guys, too. Knock the tarnish off this gem.
And if there are those doubters out there, here is another number to appease your concerns: Over the past three seasons, going back to 2022, only two receivers according to ESPN Stats have put up more yards on vertical routes than Pickens' 1,630, those being Tyreek Hill at 2,163 and Justin Jefferson at 1,668. That's it.
So think about the Cowboys lining up Lamb, Pickens, maybe Jalen Tolbert or KaVontae Turpin or Jonathan Mingo, with Jaydon Blue in the backfield. Who you gonna double?
Schotty said he wanted "juice?" This might be enough to make you drool.
- Cap Trick: When the Cowboys are paying Lamb the money he's making, this year counting $15.3 million against the salary cap, there is only so much in the budget for the rest of the wide receivers. So now with Pickens at $3.6 million, then there is Tolbert at $3.6 million, Turpin at $3.1 million and no one else on the books for more than $1.55 million (Jonathan Mingo), that is a manageable group.
- Ultra-Mini: One of the biggest questions of this week becomes how did these newcomers look at the rookie minicamp? Well, this minicamp has become very mini-mini since, first, there were only 19 players participating, including tryout rookie quarterback Donovan Smith from Houston. Then just one walk-through practice followed by a somewhat practice the next day, though no more than individual and position drills. So not much to analyze, but a welcomed departure from the past when these rookies would arrive after months of preparing for the combine, traveling the country on 30 visits, with little attention to conditioning. Gone are the days of actually going 11-on-11 without pads in the spring heat of Texas where guys would invariably suffer soft tissue injuries, to the point of taking a knee … from exhaustion.
- Musical Lockers: Brian Schottenheimer and staff doing locker rearrangement in the locker room wasn't like drawing straws. Movement was intentional. There had been good reasons the Cowboys previously had Lamb's locker just down from Dak's. And guarantee you this was an intentional move: Micah Parsons moving across the locker room next to Dak now. Maybe by osmosis, Parsons will absorb some of Dak's leadership skills.
- Brain Cramp: How much sense does this make after all the progress that's been made researching brain injuries and prevention and the long-term effects of concussions? The Trump administration's 2026 fiscal budget request to Congress is calling for the elimination of funding for brain research. This would severely hamper addressing head injuries at the high school and youth levels. ESPN reported that the agency responsible for traumatic brain injury research and public education would lose $8.25 million. Seems the NFL needs to start lobbying Congress to reject these cuts.
- Mini-Shots: Maybe we should say, "Aye-aye captain," since the Cowboys have added four rookies having served as captains in college: Tyler Booker at Alabama, Shemar James at Florida, Donovan Ezeiruaku at Boston College and undrafted free agent cornerback Zion Childress at Kentucky … Don't forget the NFL is scheduled to release the 2025 schedule on May 14, that's next Wednesday … Heard one hopeful thought since the Cowboys have an away game at the New York Jets, who are scheduled to play host to a game in London, that maybe the Cowboys will return for the first time since meeting Jacksonville over the pond in 2014, 11 years ago … How about adding Pickens' 4.47 time in the 40 to that of Blue's 4.38 and Shavon Revel's 4.39?
And since this past weekend's rookie minicamp was Brian Schottenheimer's first as a head coach after 25 years in the NFL, let him explain what's it's like to finally be on the field with some of his players knowing now he's the guy in charge, even if this was only a mini-practice with just 19 guys, no pads.
"Well, this weekend is always exciting," Schottenheimer begins. "You see the nervousness with some of the players but also the excitement. A lot of these guys have been dreaming about this day their entire life. Going to play pro football and be selected or at least have an opportunity to, you know, to compete. But for me, I love being on the grass. Like that's where, as a coach, you truly are – you get lost, you get lost in the moment. You get lost in the chance to connect and put hands on and get involved in the drills. I'm a very on-the-go coach. I think you'll see that with our staff. They're very on the go, great energy, great juice.
But that's what it's about. Anybody can coach in the meeting room, but it's about being able to take the stuff from the meeting room to the field. But it's also the development of fundamentals that you guys have heard me talk about for a long time, how important it is for a coach to take a small, simple detail, break it down into the building blocks and get the players to execute. That's how you take a good player to a great player and a great player to a superstar."
And so the job begins.
