For Jerry Jones, the George Pickens problem is simple: is the on-field production worth the off-field risk? In his first season with the franchise, he’s made a case for a payday. Nonetheless, the 24-year-old’s character and attitude have been viewed as potential red flags, which prompted the Pittsburgh Steelers to trade him to Dallas. His current contract is about to expire in the offseason, and he could be an unrestricted free agent.

“Given the character concerns, it’s a buyer-beware situation,” Marc Ross, the NFL Network analyst, recently wrote about the situation.

Ross touched upon the wide receiver’s possible future in the league. Pickens’ NFL career began as a Pittsburgh Steelers rookie from the NFL Draft 2022. While he showed promise and talent, his on and off-field behavior became a subject of concern. During his final year with the Steelers, which was the 2024 NFL season, he was fined $20,462 for two unsportsmanlike conduct violations, which included a finger gun pose towards the fans.

“He’s just gotta grow up,” said the former Steelers head coach, Mike Tomlin, on the incident. “These divisional games are big. He’s got a target on his back because he’s George. He understands that, but he’s got to grow up. He’s got to grow up in a hurry.”

Tomlin was furious at the young wide receiver when he drew penalties following the game against the Cincinnati Bengals. The penalties were not the only things that made Tomlin upset. Pickens would also be late to team meetings or game days.

For instance, the Super Bowl-winning coach always instructed the Steelers players to report on game days two hours before kickoff. During the Christmas Day game against the Kansas City Chiefs in the 2024 season, Pickens showed up just one hour and twenty-five minutes before the game, instead of two. The behavior tested the former Steelers coach’s patience.

Besides 2024, Pickens showed another sign of his questionable unprofessionalism in his rookie year. In the Week 13 game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Atlanta Falcons in the 2022 season, he shouted at the coaches, “Throw me the f****** ball” in the early fourth quarter because he was unhappy with the lack of passes throughout the game.

Long before signing an NFL deal, he dealt with behavioral issues in college football. Pickens, who suited up for the Georgia Bulldogs in college football, traded punches with a defensive back of Georgia Tech on November 30, 2019, resulting in his ejection from the game.

Despite his on-and off-field misconduct, his talent remains unquestionable. CeeDee Lamb is the Cowboys‘ first choice wide receiver, but Pickens has been a solid addition to that department, recording 1429 receiving yards and 9 touchdowns. Their offense could remain effective without the 24-year-old, but if Lamb gets injured next season, they could be in serious jeopardy unless they sign another elite WR as a backup.

Pickens delivered a far more impressive performance with the Cowboys than he ever did with the Steelers. He registered better receiving yards at the Cowboys than in any of the three Steelers seasons, while he had 9 touchdowns in his lone season at the Cowboys, a significant improvement from a total of 12 TDs in three seasons at the Steelers.

The Atlanta Falcons could be a strong option for George Pickens next season

Despite the locker room concerns, George Pickens is expected to be a sought-after free agent in 2026 if the Cowboys owner, Jerry Jones, doesn’t offer him a new deal. However, any deal would come with a risk due to his past professionalism concerns.

As per Mason Cameron of PFF, the Cowboys’ NFC rival, the Atlanta Falcons, could be a suitable place for the WR next season.

“Pairing George Pickens with Drake London would create one of the NFL’s most electric receiver duos and set the young quarterback up for success,” said Cameron.

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The Falcons’ offense is already formidable with the likes of Drake London, Kyle Pitts, and Bijan Robinson, and his addition could elevate them into one of the NFC’s most explosive offenses.

Besides the Falcons, the Buffalo Bills could be another potential option for the WR because Josh Allen looks to be in search of an elite receiver next season. The San Francisco 49ers could also be a possible destination, as wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk could be leaving in the off-season. With an impressive season under his belt, it certainly won’t be cheap to get Pickens on board, regardless of where he goes.