All in favor of Brian Schottenheimer disciplining George Pickens for the first drive of every game? Pickens and CeeDee Lamb did not start for the Dallas Cowboys against the Las Vegas Raiders for "missing some things", but it didn't take them long to take the game over.
Schottenheimer and the Cowboys must have discovered something in the film room, because Pickens was Dak Prescott's go-to target on the night. Pickens hauled in nine of 11 targets for 144 yards and one touchdown. A good chunk of those yards came after the catch, which is a deeply underrated aspect of his game that he wasn't able to showcase in Pittsburgh.
On the call for ESPN, Troy Aikman was at a loss for words watching Pickens run roughshod over the Raiders’ secondary. The Cowboys legend then pivoted to Pickens’ looming free agency and revealed something that should catch the attention of anyone doubting Dallas’ front office
Troy Aikman confirms the Cowboys want to keep George Pickens
“It is going to be interesting to see what happens to him this year," Aikman said of Pickens. "That would be a lot of money tied up at the wide receiver position, and, of course, what they’re paying Dak Prescott. But I know they’d like to keep him."
You better believe that Aikman has connections with the Cowboys. That isn't breaking news, obviously. Despite not backing down from the occasional critique of Jerry Jones, Aikman remains close with his former owner and general manager. Odds are, he has a pulse on Dallas' intentions with Pickens.
As Aikman noted, the toughest part of paying Pickens will be managing the salary cap. The Cowboys created a lot of wiggle room when they traded Micah Parsons. And while they're projected to be $46 million over the cap next year, that will change in a flash once they restructure a few deals and make some tough cuts. They can free up $51 million by cutting Trevon Diggs, Terence Steele, and Kenny Clark.
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Long story short, the Cowboys have the means to pay Pickens. And they probably should if they want to maximize their three-year window with Dak Prescott.
Fielding a competitive defense will be crucial, but Quinnen Williams singlehandedly raised the floor of the entire unit on Monday night. If Dallas hits on both of its first-round picks next year and spends a little in free agency, the defense will be just fine.
Pickens is definitively a top-10 wide receiver. He's going to want more than $30 million per year, and he'd be fully justified in doing so. Signing him will limit Dallas' ability to invest in the defense, but it wouldn't handicap them, no matter how much the Joneses push that narrative in the offseason.
The good news is that Jerry Jones rarely lets stars walk out the door. The Parsons trade was an extreme rarity. It would be stunning if he allowed Pickens to leave with the season he is putting together.