Through just two weeks in a Cowboys uniform, George Pickens has been everything Dallas hoped he would be. Slotted in as WR2 alongside CeeDee Lamb, Pickens already had 13 catches, 166 yards, and two touchdowns to start. Pickens himself admitted he saw the chance in front of him. “Great opportunity,” he said last week, speaking on stepping up for Dak Prescott and the offense in Lamb’s absence. And he’s seized it with both hands.

The moment got even bigger when Jerry Jones went live on 105.3 The FAN. Speaking not just as the Cowboys’ owner but as a man clearly impressed, Jones laid it out: “He’s an exemplary teammate. He’s exemplary in his work preparation. You can see the results of that out there Sunday.” But the part that turned heads? Jones hinted at what could be next: “I’m proud to tell you that we’ve got some outstanding structure in our cap space that will allow us to do a lot of things that I didn’t think (we could) at this time last year. … We got it. We paid a price for it. … We can do it now.”

Translation: if Pickens keeps playing like this, Dallas has the flexibility to make sure he stays in the building long-term. And Pickens keeps delivering. Against the Packers on Sunday night, he lit up the scoreboard. Eight catches, 134 yards, and two touchdowns in a 40-40 shootout. That pushes his tally to 21 catches, 300 yards, and four touchdowns through just four games with the star on his helmet.

Pickens flashing like this in Dallas isn’t exactly new. Back in Pittsburgh, he had WR1-type explosions even without elite quarterback play. Last November, he hauled in eight catches for 89 yards in an 18-16 upset of the Ravens. On New Year’s Eve in 2023, he torched defenses again with seven catches for 131 yards. And the week before that? A staggering 195 yards and two touchdowns on just four receptions.

All of it came while never playing with a quarterback even close to Dak Prescott’s level. That’s the difference now.

As he heads into what will be his first crack at NFL free agency, Pickens is positioning himself for a big payday. Officially, he’s WR2 behind Lamb. Of course, his Pittsburgh exit wasn’t clean. Reports tied him to a “litany of violations” with the Steelers, from showing up late to practices to missing check-ins. Including being late for Pittsburgh’s Christmas Day matchup against the Chiefs last year.

But in Dallas? So far, Pickens has been a different man. The Cowboys rolled the dice on him this past spring, and he’s rewarded them by not only producing but also staying locked in. With Lamb sidelined by a high ankle sprain, Pickens has found the end zone in three straight games, giving the 1-2-1 Cowboys the spark they desperately needed. But wait, could there be a twist to the whole resigning saga?

Pickens’ comments hint at potential exit despite Jerry Jones’ efforts

There’s always a question mark hovering over George Pickens: Is Dallas just a springboard for him to boost his career? Recent comments to The Athletic’s Jon Machota have added fuel to that speculation.

When asked about what his early performances in Dallas say about his potential, Pickens stayed measured but left a subtle hint that his future could extend beyond the Cowboys once his rookie contract expires. “I’d probably just say being a great receiver,” Pickens said. “Just no matter kinda where I go or where I land, me, myself, George Pickens is a great receiver. I feel like that’s what I’ve shown people.”

If he keeps pace, projections put him around 80 catches, 1,200 yards, and 16 touchdowns by season’s end. Of course, some regression is expected, but given the current wide receiver market, with Garrett Wilson (four years, $130 million), Tee Higgins (four years, $115 million), and Jameson Williams (three years, $80 million) commanding enormous contracts, a monster season could price Pickens out of Dallas’ range.

That scenario would leave the Cowboys looking for a younger, more affordable replacement with their two first-round picks in next year’s draft, but no guarantee exists that a newcomer could match Pickens’ immediate impact.

As the Cowboys try to navigate winning now with big contracts already on the books for Pickens, Cowboys fans now face the possibility that this electric new weapon may not remain in Dallas for long.