It’s incredible how one offseason trade has completely changed the entire outlook of the offense. But that’s what has happened after the Dallas Cowboys acquired George Pickens for a third and fifth-round pick from the Steelers after the NFL Draft.
Pickens will now be the No. 2 receiver, solving the offense’s biggest need. That should alleviate some pressure from CeeDee Lamb and now puts Jalen Tolbert into his natural position as the No. 3 receiver.
But Lamb and Tolbert aren’t the only players in the passing game that will benefit from the presence of George Pickens. He could have a major impact on several other weapons in the passing game, including the tight ends, as he should keep some of the safeties away from the middle of the field.
In a recent article, Moe Morton of Bleacher Report made a case for Jake Ferguson to have a bounce-back fantasy season.
"After playing half the previous season with Cooper Rush under center, Ferguson's fantasy outlook gets a boost as long as Prescott stays healthy," Morton wrote. "Even with the addition of wideout George Pickens, he should see enough targets to produce at the level of a top-10 fantasy tight end."
Cowboys TE Jake Ferguson could have a monster year in 2025
"... With the Cowboys' uninspiring running back group, expect Prescott to fire away through the air for stretches in the upcoming term. He'll have enough targets to spread around for Ferguson to get back into Pro Bowl form."
Ferguson had a breakout season in 2023, catching 71 passes for 761 as the starting tight end in Dallas. But a Week 1 knee injury in 2024 caused him to miss three starts and he never quite looked the same all season. He finished last year without scoring a touchdown and totaled just 494 yards on 86 targets.
But Ferguson is healthy and going into a pivotal season with his contract set to expire. However, the addition of Pickens, along with a healthy Dak Prescott, will likely enable Ferguson to have his best season yet.
Time will tell how Ferguson will fit into Brian Schottenheimer's offense, but his connection with Prescott and their chemistry on the field should make him a consistent weapon in the passing game. The duo have already connected on multiple seam routes in team drills during OTAs and minicamp.
Look for Ferguson to have a bounce-back season in 2025 and return to the level that we saw him play at in Year 2. And if that happens, the Cowboys’ offense is going to be nearly impossible to defend. That is exactly why they made the trade for George Pickens.