The good news? Dallas had finally acquired a second wide receiver weapon to pair with CeeDee Lamb in a trade with the Pittsburgh Steelers that sent George Pickens to Prescott’s offensive arsenal.

“He was just telling me that it happened, that it would be released either later that night or in the next morning,” Prescott said. “Just a lot of excitement from the both of us.”

A little more than two weeks later, everyone in the Cowboys’ building, including Pickens, is still get acquainted with the new addition’s arrival. With the beginning of offseason team activities (OTAs) on Monday, the on-field gap is beginning to be bridged with the fourth-year receiver.

“My interaction with GP has been incredible,” head coach Brian Schottenheimer said. “I think he’s going to fit in awesome with what we’re trying to do here. He’s all about a new opportunity. We all change, we all adjust, we all grow. I’m thrilled with the way guys have responded to him.”

To say that things ended Pittsburgh on a rough note might be an understatement, but a “new opportunity” as Schottenheimer alluded to has been a positive experience for Pickens early on. For him, it’s also a chance to reclaim his identity in the league where he has been generally painted as immature and unprofessional.

“I’m actually like a chill guy,” Pickens said. “It’s like a big phase of a tornado that’s not even true. I’m a chill guy who likes to work.”

Part of that work ethic had been instilled in him during his draft process back in 2022. While training in Atlanta ahead of the NFL Scouting Combine, he worked alongside CeeDee Lamb for weeks in the receiver group.

“We were out in Atlanta just getting right, grinding,” Lamb said. “We were students of the game, still [are]. I was giving him the little things I learned in the league and I passed to him what I could. It’s crazy how things come full circle.”

Three years later, the two are teammates in Dallas as they look to form one of the more dangerous duos in the league at the receiver position. But for that to happen, there will have to be sacrifice involved for each player to succeed. That hasn’t been lost in the early goings of his tenure with the team.

“Having a conversation with them up front, ‘Hey, there’s going to be some games [where it’s] maybe one or the other,’” Prescott said. “But in that instance, those are two unselfish guys and truly they want to win. And when you’re not winning and you’re not getting the ball, trust me, I understand the frustration so I’m never going to be mad at them for frustrating about wanting to win and wanting the ball.”

“We can complement each other,” Lamb said. “If he’s tired, I can guarantee you I’m not. Just being his backbone and being here for him and letting him know he has some help on the other side that’s a dog and willing to win, I’m going to do everything in my power to do that.”

Before the on-field production can develop, the meetings and discussions in the meat of the offseason are crucial toward finding that success in the fall. Despite some buzz about his approach to meetings and other off-the-field work in Pittsburgh, Pickens has earned rave reviews early on in Dallas.

“I see a guy that’s maturing,” Schottenheimer said. “I see a guy that we’re excited to put out there and watch him grow and get better. He obviously is a tremendous athlete, but I love watching him in meetings, because in meetings, he’s been so dialed in, taking great notes. He knows he’s a little bit behind, not a lot, but a little bit behind in terms of what the veterans are doing, but his intentionality in the meeting room has been really cool for me to see.”

Entering the building midway through an offseason that has already seen a lot of change might not have been the ideal situation, but Pickens is taking an intentional approach to getting caught up to the rest of the team.

“I want to do it fast,” Pickens said. “But I only learn as far as I go. Schotty’s been bringing the energy. He comes into the receiver room, boosts all the receivers up. For me, it’s just super refreshing.”

As the season approaches, Pickens will take his off-the-field knowledge into an offense that will be relying on his services early and often. With the Cowboys opening on the road against the defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles, Pickens’ ability will be called on out of the gates.

“Looking at the guy’s tape, you see what he does, the kind of receiver he is,” Prescott said. “He’s going to win on one-on-ones. He can win two vs. one if he has to. Very, very talented guy. When you can add him alongside a CeeDee and the rest of the weapons we have, I’m super excited.”