Jason Garrett seems pretty confident that George Pickens will make things work in Dallas.
The former Cowboys coach had some positive thoughts on the team’s recent trade, telling Pro Football Talk that the move benefits quarterback Dak Prescott in multiple ways. Pickens is set to join a receiving group that already includes CeeDee Lamb, Jake Ferguson and Jalen Tolbert.
“If you look at their team, I think they got a lot of good weapons,” Garrett said. “For me, the whole thing works because of the quarterback. Dak can work with anybody, he’ll bring the best out in everybody.”
Garrett also addressed some of the question marks that come with the Pickens move. The receiver generated some buzz due to on- and off-field issues throughout his Pittsburgh stint.
Garrett wasn’t too concerned over any character issues from Pickens once he lands in Dallas.
“This is the kind of guy that Jerry Jones loves,” Garrett said. “Jerry Jones loves the George Pickens. He loves the guy who’s talented, maybe troubled somewhere else. We can try to create the right environment for him and get the most out of him.
“That’s why the Cowboys through the years have picked a lot of guys that were deemed to be first-round talent in the second round. Maybe they had an injury, maybe they had a character flaw. Let’s give this guy a chance and see if we can get the best out of him.”
Garrett had first-hand experience with that setup throughout his years as Cowboys head coach. The Garrett era saw Dallas draft key players like Tyron Smith, Zack Martin, Travis Frederick and Prescott. Garrett described those players as “great people” who can help maintain a positive environment.
After Pickens was traded, multiple pundits questioned whether the playmaker would fit in with his new surroundings. Pickens isn’t the first Steelers receiver with character concerns to be traded away from Pittsburgh.
For Garrett, the quarterback is key to keeping the receiver in line.
“The quarterback is the guy he has to develop the relationship with. He’s the guy he’s going to spend the most time with,” Garrett said. “Pickens knows that if I develop a relationship with Dak, he’s going to throw me the ball. I’m going to have a lot of success, all of that. I think Dak fully understands that and I think that’s the key relationship here.”
Watch the rest of Garrett’s Pro Football Talk interview here.
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