The Dallas Cowboys made a high-upside addition to their receiver room when they traded a third round pick for Pittsburgh Steelers’ outspoken wideout, George Pickens.
Whilst Pickens certainly comes with his baggage, he is unquestionably one of the more talented wideouts in the NFL. He has accumulated over 2,800 yards in his first three years, despite having had a rotating carousel of mediocre quarterbacks throwing to him.
Yet, perhaps just as big an impact from Pickens’ arrival could be on WR1, CeeDee Lamb, who had a slight down year in 2024 after his blockbuster, All-Pro 2023 campaign.
Big Things Expected From CeeDee Lamb In 2025
As such, Zoltan Buday from Bleacher Report believes that the former Oklahoma star is one of the players set for a “bounce back” season.
“Lamb’s dip in production during the 2024 season can partly be attributed to missed time,” Buday wrote, “as he played in only 15 games for the Cowboys. After leading the NFL with 135 receptions in 2023, he finished the 2024 campaign with 101 catches for 1,194 yards, his lowest output since his second year.”
Although Lamb’s actual receiving numbers were still within the general average range for his career, Buday notes that his PFF grade revealed a clearer drop off from 2023.
“His 77.3 PFF overall grade was also his lowest since his rookie season, ranking 29th among 133 qualifying wide receivers.In the two seasons prior, Lamb earned a combined 91.8 PFF receiving grade, fourth-best at the position, and led the league with 89 explosive plays (receptions of 15 yards or more), ranking second among wideouts.”
And, unsurprisingly, Pickens is predicted to be a core catalyst to Lamb’s return to form in 2025.
“The addition of wide receiver George Pickens from Pittsburgh should benefit Lamb in 2025, as Pickens is likely to command defensive attention and give Dallas one of the top No. 2 options in the league. Coupled with a fully healthy season from quarterback Dak Prescott, Lamb is well-positioned to return to elite form.”
CeeDee Lamb ‘Well-Positioned’ To Get Back To His Best
Whilst 1,700+ receiving yards and 12 touchdowns is a difficult act to follow for any receiver – the only player in NFL history to have successive seasons with 1700 receiving yards is Tyreek Hill in 2022 and 2023 – Lamb did suffer a drop off of over 550 receiving yards.
Dallas’ ownership and Pickens himself view the receiving corps as dual WR1 offense, with both Lamb and the former Georgia star commanding the full attention of defensive coordinators on either side of the field.
And with Dak Prescott having showed he is more than capable of running a high-powered passing offense; at least during the regular season; it feels quite possible that we could see a season that re-establishes Lamb as one of the elite wideouts in the NFL.
