OTAs have officially kicked off, and the Dallas Cowboys are back in action. While nothing is mandatory until June 16th, it’s nice to have football content back in some capacity.
Dallas’ roster looks significantly different from what it did at this time last year, particularly on the defensive side of the ball. With that thought in mind, today we continue our series ranking the top 10 players on the Cowboys roster for the 2026 season.
Age: 25
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Years Pro: 4
NFL Awards: 1x Pro Bowl (2025)
2025 Recap: Coming into the 2025 season, George Pickens’ NFL career was at a crossroads. After three productive seasons in Pittsburgh, the Steelers decided the 25-year-old wideout was not in their long-term plans, dealing him to the Cowboys for a second-round pick.
When they acquired Pickens, the Cowboys knew just how good he could be on the field. As recently as 2023, Pickens had eclipsed 1,100 receiving yards in a season and led the league with an impressive 18.1 Y/R. Dallas gambled that they could be the team to fix Pickens’ off field issues and get him consistently playing like the All-Pro receiver he is capable of being.
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Thankfully for both parties, the marriage worked out to perfection. Pickens had by far the most productive season of his career in 2025, recording career-highs in nearly every statistical category. His 1,429 receiving yards ranked third in the NFL, while also finishing top 10 in receptions (93), Y/R (15.4), and 1D (73).
Pickens was everything the Cowboys could have imagined, and pairing him with CeeDee Lamb took Dallas’ offense to the next level. While questions remain about his long-term future as a Cowboy, there is no denying that Pickens was a superstar in 2025.
2026 Preview: As good as Pickens was in 2025, there is still another level he can get to in 2026. While the 25-year-old wideout had five games where he recorded 130 or more receiving yards, he also had four games where he recorded 40 or fewer. Unsurprisingly, Dallas lost all four of those games.
The Lions game in early December is a perfect example of what Pickens and the Cowboys need to eliminate next season. Consistency, both on and off the field, is what could take Pickens to the next level and make Dallas’ offense truly unstoppable.
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If healthy, there is no denying Pickens will be one of the most productive receivers in the league this upcoming season. Whether he can eliminate the no-show games and take that final step to become one of the true top-tier wideouts in the league remains to be seen.
Prediction: George Pickens replicates his 2025 success, recording 1,400 receiving yards and scoring 10 touchdowns.
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