Cowboys chaos deepens with Pickens trade as Rams Puka Nacua remains envy of NFL

The Los Angeles Rams love to accumulate shiny baubles. That is, the team is fascinated by the idea of adding elite game-changing veterans to the roster. But recently, the team seems to have shifted its primary roster-building efforts from adding elite players who can win now to the more patient effort of building game-changers from drafting well. Still, if the right player was available, the Rams front office is never one to shy away from a trade that improves the team.

So when the news of a trade of Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver George Pickens to the Dallas Cowboys for what appears to be an affordable price of a 2026 Round 3 and 2027 Round 5 pick for Pickens and a 2027 Round 6 pick, Rams fans were left scratching their heads and guessing: Why didn't the Rams join the bidding for a very talented young wide receiver?

The Cowboys have been ridiculed for much of the offseason due to the fact that they did very little to improve the team. Now, with the addition of a young and productive wide receiver, the tone of NFL analysts has flipped instantly. Suddenly, the Dallas Cowboys are favored to earn a playoff berth, and perhaps more, with the addition of Pickens:

So far, everything and everybody is touting the athleticism and productivity of Pickens in the Pittsburgh Steelers offense. To be honest, considering his quarterbacks have been Kenny Pickett and Mitch Trubisky (2022), Kenny Pickett, Mason Rudolph, and Mitch Trubisky (2023), and Russell Wilson and Justin Fields (2024), the fact that George Pickens has produced 2,841 receiving yards and 12 touchdowns over the past three seasons is remarkable.

So why did the Steelers give up on a young receiver who is still playing on a rookie contract and was selected with the 52nd overall pick in Round 2 of the 2022 NFL Draft? In a word: Attitude.

I'll let NFL analyst Trey Wingo discuss why the Steelers shipped him off:

Could the Rams have worked with George Pickens and shifted his attitude back to passionate football play? Perhaps. But the team already has a young, talented, and very passionate wide receiver in Puka Nacua. And Nacua, despite having played one year less, has 2,476 receiving yards and nine touchdowns. It's a safe bet that he will put up more than 500 receiving yards and three touchdowns in 2025.

George Pickens stands 6-foot-3 and weighs 200 pounds. Puka Nacua stands 6-foot-2 and weighs 212 pounds. While there are plenty of questions surrounding Pickens' attitude and effort, there are no questions about the effort and passion for the game of football where Nacua is concerned.

Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones admitted to not knowing Pickens' agent, David Mulugheta. That's a bit of a shock, and Mulugheta is also the agent for All-Pro edge rusher Micah Parsons. It's one more ripple of controversy for a team that seems to be lagging behind other NFC teams. Even as NFL analysts eagerly jump aboard the Cowboys' offseason hype train, it will be a short ride. Both the Philadelphia Eagles and Washington Commanders appear to be the toast of the NFC East. That means the Cowboys will struggle to finish higher than third place in the NFC East Division.

The Rams won the NFC West Division in 2024, and are on track to do so again in 2025.

The Rams succeed because they see players in three dimensions. That is, they focus on players who are competitive and want to win. Most of all, they limit themselves to pursuing players who have great passion for football. Mercenaries who are blessed with talent can come and bolster the team's performance for a year ot two. But they are inevitably pried away be the lure of bigger paychecks elsewhere.

George Pickens may perform quite well for the Cowboys in 2025. Of course, he may not. But he already has his eyes on the next contract. And that likely limits his time with the Cowboys to one-and-done. That is quite different than the future of Puka Nacua, who will almost certainly be extended by the Rams for many years to come.

As always, thanks for reading.

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