Cowboys legend and Hall of Famer Emmitt Smith says George Pickens is in the right place for his development.
It might be Super Bowl week, but Dallas Cowboys receiver George Pickens is stealing the headlines.
Set to be a free agent and one of the most talked-about players in football over the coming weeks, the Cowboys have another contract saga to deal with.
Yes, the Cowboys already have a plan to tag Pickens at roughly $28 million for 2026, which would allow them to continue discussing a long-term extension.
Jerry Jones has stated he would like George to be a Cowboy for a long time, which suggests a multi-year deal could be in the works.
But if that doesn't happen, the idea of Pickens somewhere else, say, like Green Bay, after Micah Parsons has been doing his best to recruit the Pro Bowler, could be on the table.
However, for Cowboys legend and Hall of Famer Emmitt Smith, Pickens is already in the right spot.
"George Pickens is at the right place," Smith said via Nightcap. "He has a place that he can flourish. He has a place right alongside CeeDee Lamb. Because I think you have to have a Batman and a Robin together."
There's no arguing there.
Pickens has developed into one of the best receivers in football under Brian Schottenheimer and Dak Prescott.
A career-best season saw George post 1,429 yards and 9 TDs from 93 receptions (all career-highs). Such was his dominance that some even thought that Pickens was the best receiver on the Cowboys roster.
And yes, that means he is better than CeeDee Lamb.
But Smith offered some interesting insight into that narrative.
"We don't know if he's the number one," Smith added. "A number one don't quit, a number one says run the ball when it's six in the box. Mike [Irvin] was never afraid, and that's the mentality George has to develop."
And again, Emmitt is right on the money.
Yes, Pickens was superb in 2025, but the lapses we saw in a couple of games when his team needed him show there is still room to grow.
And in Dallas, according to Emmitt, that is the best place for George to continue to develop into one of the best receivers in football.
He has the coach and system to get scheme him open. He has the quarterback in Dak to get him the ball, and another No. 1 weapon in CeeDee to shift attention away from him.
So, it is easy to see why Dallas is the best place for Pickens.