Not only did Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott keep his thoughts to himself about receiver George Pickens’ outstanding play in training camp but he bit his tongue on purpose,
He was walking off after his last media session of training camp when talk turned to Pickens, who had seemingly done the impossible over the year but especially during the team’s four-week stint in California.
He turned down the noise on the negativity and drama that he was previously associated, which was also expected to continue when he didn’t get a contract extension after an outstanding 2025 season and was slapped with the salary depressing franchise tag.
He simply turned up the excitement about the endless possibilities about what he could do in the Cowboys offense in 2026 and what that could mean for the team in its quest to reach the NFC title game, if not the Super Bowl, for the first time since 1996, ending a 30 year drought.
Day in and day out Pickens was the best player on the field and gave the team juice with boundless energy and a boyish enthusiasm for the game.
It resulted in Prescott reaching an epiphany that he chose not to share.
“I’m going tell y’all something then he said, no I’m not going to say it. Not now,” Prescott said before walking off.
What was Prescott holding back?
That Pickens would be the best receiver in the NFL in 2026?
What else could it be.
He is already widely considered a top 5 player at his position after posting 93 catches for 1,429 yards yards for 9 touchdowns in his first year with Prescott as his quarterback. He made All-Pro and the Pro Bowl for the first time.
No Cowboys player in history has posted better numbers in their first year with team.
And his play in camp showed that he genuinely motivated to not only build on what he accomplished in 2025 but be even better.
In own words on the final day of training camp, Pickens said he was putting the league on notice about what was about to happen this season. And there is nothing anyone can do about it, as the New Orleans Saints found out in a joint practice.
“Yeah, I feel like for other teams, I think what it was when we played the Saints the other day, I kind of noticed that myself, just knowing that I’m getting way more double [teams],” Pickens said.
“Last year, I was getting a lot of double team, but now it’s like first-play double [team]. Because they don’t want to really take a chance. But definitely competing and putting the league on notice.”
Now days before Sunday’s season opener against the New York Giants, he is not backing down.
Pickens said “itching” to get back on the field and play.
“Any time I can continue what I was leaving off of, and definitely for the team,” Pickens said on his goals for the season. “Big things, big goals, big aspirations for everybody, so definitely want to accomplish that…”
“Kind of where I left off last year, and then definitely for a team goal, that’s definitely what I see and what I kind of want for the team that we’ve got this year, is to do bigger and better things, whether that’s later in the postseason or past the postseason to the bigger game. Just reaching for that, honestly.
Pickens said this is the most excited he’s been heading into a season since he was back in high school.
More than any time during his career at Georgia and more than his first the star crossed seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers, which were marked by bad quarterback play and alleged bad attitude and immaturity from Pickens.
None of those supposed issues, save for occasional tardiness, followed him to Dallas.
Pickens said the Cowboys, led by star receiver instantly embraced and made him feel comfortable and at home.
He is says he’s even more comfortable and at peace heading into year two with the Cowboys.
“Way more comfortable, especially when you have 17, 18 games learning the same scheme,” Pickens said. “So I’m super, super comfortable now.”
He’s even sitting in the front of the room in team meetings asking questions and contributing to the discussion.
The Cowboys have found that Pickens is not just a great player but a wonderful teammate who loves game and keeps them loose while also giving them energy and much needed edginess.
“You need a person like me on the team,” Pickens said.
Why?
“I’m courageous,” Pickens answered. “I feel like my personality groups everybody together. I make some of the guys laugh with a lot of jokes. I can also play ball. I also give them energy. I feel like that is another by product. Giving them fuel and energy.”
It starts with Lamb and Pickens. Lamb, who has made five straight Pro Bowls, went out of his way to make Pickens comfortable in Dallas.
Pickens said the two already represent the best receiver duo in the NFL and they have similar personalities.
The relationship has seemingly become so good and seemingly necessary for the Cowboys’ success that it’s has many people inside and outside organization wondering about his future in Dallas beyond 2026.
Another big year as expected would put him in the market for top receiver money in free agency. The current high water mark is $42 million annually.
Pickens is certainly hopeful of finally being able to maximize his earning potential.
He would lobe for that to be in Dallas with his new found family and friends like Lamb and Prescott.
He is truly enjoying life with the Cowboys.
But Lamb already making $34 million annually, vice president Stephen Jones admitted to DLLS Cowboys last week that it would be hard to pay two receivers top of the market money.
“The situation we have with George Pickens going alongside CeeDee… I don’t know of any teams that really can pay two top receivers top of the market,” Jones said. “So, yeah. That’s going to be a real difficult situation as we move forward. We’ve managed to figure out how we can do it for this year.”
He said it would be hard
He didn’t say impossible
And to that end, Pickens and his possibilities has the Cowboys talking out of both sides of their mouths and twisted like so many helpless defensive backs on the field.
Owner Jerry Jones offered up this regarding Pickens future in Dallas.
“George has had a top camp. He’s been everything we’ve asked him to be,” Jones said. “I’m excited about what he brings to the table for us, not only for the early part of the first game, but I’m excited what he’s got a chance to do for us this year and coming years. I emphasize that – coming years.”
“The better he plays, the better it is for him.”
Pickens knows as much.
And so does Prescott.
It starts on Sunday in New York.
