George Pickens had his worst game of the season last Thursday night in Detroit. The Dallas Cowboys’ leading receiver caught only five of his nine targets for 37 yards.
What was most concerning was his apparent lack of effort on multiple routes.
Cowboys coach Brian Schottenheimer said Monday that he recently talked with Pickens about several topics, including his effort in the Cowboys’ 44-30 loss to the Detroit Lions.
“We talked a little about it,” Schottenheimer said. “In his words, he goes, ‘Hey, Schotty, I didn’t play my best game.’ Unfortunately, none of us played our best game. That’s real. But I don’t worry about George and his love for football and playing this game.”
Cowboys owner Jerry Jones didn’t have concerns about Pickens’ effort when asked on 105.3 The Fan the morning after the game. Jones’ thoughts didn’t change over the weekend as he was asked again about Pickens on The Fan on Tuesday morning.
“One of the things that you got to appreciate about George Pickens is his intensity for the competition,” Jones said. “Now, he is a big-time competitor. When it comes to competing and when it comes to loving the game, I emphasize that point right there, loving the game, then I give him A-pluses.
“I like what George Pickens has done all year. … Just so that I’m real clear about it, I don’t have the concern that (others) debate about what George Pickens did or didn’t do in that game. I don’t have that kind of concern about him as far as his competing and helping us win football games on the field, at all.”
Jones has said several times over the last couple of weeks that Pickens has exceeded expectations since Dallas traded for him in May. Pickens, who is having a career year, is third in the NFL in receiving yards with 1,179 and is tied for fifth in receiving touchdowns with eight. He leads the Cowboys in both categories. Pickens is graded as sixth overall among all wide receivers by Pro Football Focus.
Pickens is in the final year of his rookie contract. Dallas has no plans of letting him leave in free agency. If the two sides are unable to work out a long-term deal, the franchise tag is expected to be used on the 24-year-old.
“Pickens brings everything to the table,” Jones said. “He brings enough pluses to the table to frankly live with what’s going on, this type of criticism. The criticism in my mind is, is he a competitor, and when he gets out there, can he come down with the ball? Does he compete when he’s out there? A-triple-plus.”