Statistically speaking, Pickens' third NFL season in 2024 looked a lot like his second, with the main difference being three missed games in December because of a hamstring injury. He thrived right before the absence while catching passes from Russell Wilson, averaging 4.8 catches for 81.2 yards and 0.5 TDs on 7.7 targets over a six-game stretch (compared to 4.3 catches for 60.5 yards and no TDs in Justin Fields' six starts beforehand). The Steelers apparently weren't all that impressed, considering they traded for WR DK Metcalf in March and sent Pickens packing to Dallas in May. The 24-year-old likely wanted an extension ahead of the final year of his rookie contract, but he may be more willing to play out the deal in Dallas, where the presence of QB Dak Prescott and lack of other secondary receiving options behind CeeDee Lamb gives Pickens a nice chance to improve on his numbers from Pittsburgh. The Cowboys' new head coach, Brian Schottenheimer, mostly oversaw balanced or run-first offenses in his previous stints as an NFL playcaller, but he was the offensive coordinator in Dallas the past two years when the team ranked third and eighth in pass attempts. It won't come as any surprise if Pickens exceeds some of his career highs, namely 106 targets and five TDs, even though he'll be a No. 2 WR rather than a No. 1 now.
