Cowboys' Pickens thrilled with fresh start: 'Excited to run better plays'

Cowboys wide receiver George Pickens is looking forward to a fresh start in Dallas following his offseason trade from the Pittsburgh Steelers.

"I'm definitely excited to run better plays for sure," Pickens told reporters Tuesday after Dallas' first training camp practice.

Pickens joins a Cowboys offense that struggled last season with injuries and inconsistency, ranking 29th in EPA/play and 28th in dropback success rate, according to Ben Baldwin's database. Pickens is set to be quarterback Dak Prescott's No. 2 target behind star wideout CeeDee Lamb.

The Cowboys acquired Pickens after the 24-year-old spent the first three years of his career in Pittsburgh. He led the Steelers in combined targets (209), receptions (122), and receiving yards (2,040) over the last two campaigns.

Prescott will be the best signal-caller Pickens has played with since entering the league as a 2022 second-round pick. During the wideout's tenure with the Steelers, Pittsburgh never had a quarterback exceed 2,500 passing yards in a single season.

However, Pickens has struggled with disciplinary issues. Following a December game last season, head coach Mike Tomlin said the Georgia product needed to "grow up" after he took multiple penalties in the contest.

"I think I needed a fresh start just in terms of people not knowing me," Pickens said Tuesday. "I think that's the whole thing about it."

Pickens has 174 receptions with 2,841 receiving yards and 12 scores in 48 career games.