In a season where the Dallas Cowboys‘ defense is arguably the worst in the league and the offense has had to carry the load, losing CeeDee Lamb to an injury could’ve been the final blow. But then came George Pickens, and he’s been everything Dallas could’ve hoped for and more. And Lamb has been watching from the sideline, clearly impressed.

Lamb said he’s been blown away by how Pickens stepped up while he’s been out, and he doesn’t see any hierarchy in their roles. “I don’t think everybody really believed me until one of us went down and you saw,” he said, referring to an earlier comment he made about both of them being No. 1 WRs. “He’s a dominant receiver.”

Far from being threatened by him, Lamb is excited to play alongside him. And that is enough indication that he wants him around for the long haul.

Lamb’s been sidelined since injuring his ankle in the first half of the Week 3 loss to the Chicago Bears, but the Cowboys’ offseason trade for Pickens has turned out to be a stroke of genius. Over the last six weeks, he’s been the heartbeat of the offense. Without him, this Cowboys unit might’ve fallen apart completely.

Sure, Dallas would prefer a better record than 2-3-1 after last weekend’s loss to the Carolina Panthers, but Pickens once again showed out, racking up nine catches for 168 yards and a touchdown in that game. The wide receiver just didn’t slow down. That performance brought his season totals to 32 catches for 525 yards and 6 touchdowns.

And this is only the beginning. Pickens has looked like the perfect complement to Lamb: that reliable, dynamic WR2 the Cowboys have been searching for. And when both of them are healthy? This offense could legitimately be one of the most explosive in football.

Lamb knows it too. And his quarterback couldn’t agree more.

Dak Prescott wants Jerry Jones to lock George Pickens up

Honestly, you could make the case that this is the best version of Dak Prescott we’ve ever seen. Six games in, he’s thrown for 1,617 yards (2nd in the league), 13 touchdowns (3rd in the league), and just three interceptions, with a 104.6 passer rating. Those are MVP-caliber numbers that wouldn’t have been possible without George Pickens’ production. He’s one of only five players in the last 30 years to record 500-plus receiving yards and six touchdowns in his first six games with a new team.

So it’s no surprise Prescott wants his new weapon around for years to come. When asked if he’s planning to nudge Jerry Jones about a Pickens extension, his answer wasn’t surprising. “I’ve been a little busy, but I will….When I run into him in that time of privacy, I’ll make sure,” the quarterback said.

Even Jerry Jones sounds convinced that locking him up long-term is the move. “He is doing more than we did expect, or that we could have expected,” Jones said. “And what’s really special is he’s a real plus to have around the team. He’s a real plus around his teammates. He’s a great plus around those coaches. Those coaches really exalt him.”

And George Pickens? He’s not exactly hiding how he feels about the idea. “I wouldn’t mind it,” the receiver stated. “The guys in the locker room are super cool, the energy is great. But, like I’ve said, I always want to showcase my talents, most definitely.”

That means the owner wants him, the quarterback wants him, Lamb wants him, and Pickens himself wants to be a Cowboy for a long time. Everything’s lining up perfectly for the Cowboys’ receiving corps. Let’s hope that Jerry Jones isn’t too late to lock him up, as Pickens is in the final year of his rookie contract. So, he will be an unrestricted free agent after this season.