Cowboys’ George Pickens gets 100% real about WR1 opportunity
George Pickens is looking forward to the huge responsibility he will have in the Dallas Cowboys’ offense for the next few weeks.
This comes after CeeDee Lamb suffered an ankle injury in the Cowboys’ 31-14 loss to the Chicago Bears. This will sideline him for 2-4 weeks, which places Pickens as the top receiver in the rotation,
Pickens reflected on the chance to shine as the primary option on Thursday, per ESPN’s Ed Werder. He described it as a great one, stating he wants to show up for quarterback Dak Prescott and Dallas.
“Oh, it’s a great opportunity. I already kind of showcase, but I just want to show up for Dak, and show for the team and get a dub,” Pickens said.
What lies ahead for George Pickens, Cowboys
This week presents a big chance for George Pickens to be his most explosive as a playmaker for the Cowboys with CeeDee Lamb on the sidelines.
Three games into the season, Pickens has 13 catches after 22 targets for 166 yards and two touchdowns. The first two showed him as the second option and the third moved him up to the top. As the main target moving forward, Dallas’ offense could benefit from seeing Pickens fully embrace his surroundings as one of the team’s best players.
The Cowboys are off to a shaky start to the 2025 NFL season with a 1-2 record. They lost to the Philadelphia Eagles, bounced back with an overtime win over the New York Giants, then fell in a blowout to the Chicago Bears.
The Cowboys will look forward to their matchup against the Packers, taking place on Sept. 28 at 8:20 p.m. ET. After that, they will prepare for their next contest, being on the road against the New York Jets on Oct. 5 at 1 p.m. ET.
$72 Million ‘Secret’ Weapon Bodes Well for Texans QB C.J. Stroud
Head coach DeMeco Ryans and the Houston Texans need to get more out of C.J. Stroud, who earned Pro Bowl honors as a rookie, but his production dipped in 2024 amid turmoil around him. This offseason, the Texans acquired wide receiver Christian Kirk to help make Stroud’s life easier.
Originally the No. 47 overall pick of the 2018 draft by the Arizona Cardinals, Kirk spent the past three seasons with the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Now, CBS Sports’ Cody Benjamin believes Kirk could prove to be Stroud’s “secret best friend.”
“Why not Kirk?” Benjamin wrote on August 19. “He profiles as a potential secret weapon thanks to his injury-induced fizzle out in Jacksonville. But his resume suggests he really can be a trusty possession target if operating at full strength. Three years removed from a 1,100-yard campaign as a Trevor Lawrence favorite, Kirk is still just 28, plenty capable of sneaking onto the scene as Houston’s new high-volume option.”
Kirk’s injury history is significant. The 28-year-old has played a full complement of regular-season games twice in his career: in 2021 and 2022. He played in eight games, starting seven, for the Jaguars in 2024 and a 12-game run in 2023.
Naturally, Kirk’s production has dropped along with his availability.
That is an ominous trend for the Texans, who have Kirk to make up for the loss of injured 2023 third-round pick Tank Dell.
Texans Need Christian Kirk to Buck Trend
Dell is recovering from a devastating knee injury and is a long shot to play in 2024. Kirk has two seasons remaining on a four-year, $72 million contract. Notably, his cap hit rises from $4.8 million in 2025 to $11.4 million in 2026.
The Texans can cut Kirk in 2026, saving $8.5 million while incurring $2.8 million in dead money charges with a post-June 1 designation.
Still, Kirk cannot make the kind of impact he wants or is expected to if he is unavailable.
The Texans are not banking solely on Kirk to make up for the loss of Dell. They doubled down on receivers in the 2025 draft, selecting Iowa State teammates Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel, both of whom have shown well since their arrival.
The Texans will be that much deeper when Dell returns. Until then, the Texans can lean on Kirk and others for complementary production.
Nico Collins ‘Way Too Obvious’ Key for C.J. Stroud, Texans
Kirk is a proven producer, but Benjamin still expects the Texans’ passing game will continue to flow through Pro Bowl wideout Nico Collins after Stroud. A third-round pick in 2021, Collins is coming off back-to-back seasons with over 1,00p receiving yards.
“It’d be way too obvious to go with Nico Collins here,” Benjamin wrote. “The veteran wideout is arguably one of the best field-stretching big men in the game when healthy.”
Collins turned 26 in March.
He is in Year 2 of a four-year, $72.7 million contract and is pacing toward another significant payday and a likely raise. Collins and Stroud will carry the Texans’ passing attack, with Higgins, Kirk, and Noel all playing significant complementary roles.
