The Dallas Cowboys trade for George Pickens is set to reset the team’s wide receiver depth chart. While the move is good news for Dak Prescott, the addition of Pickens calls into question the future of other wideouts on the roster.
USA Today’s K.D. Drummond put together an updated projected depth chart following the Pickens deal. The analyst predicts the Cowboys will have two new starting receivers in 2025.
CeeDee Lamb will continue to be the focal point of the Cowboys offense, but it remains to be seen what wideouts will start alongside the star. It is safe to project Pickens to slide into the WR2 role given all Dallas gave up to land the playmaker.
This puts the WR3 role up for grabs with Jalen Tolbert facing uncertainty as to his role this season. Tolbert is coming off a breakout campaign in 2025 and earned the Cowboys WR2 role alongside Lamb last season. The wideout was able to take advantage of the opportunity created as Brandin Cooks battled injuries throughout 2024.
Here’s why his future in Dallas could be in doubt.
Jalen Tolbert Is in Danger of Losing Starting Receiver Spot to Jonathan Mingo: Analyst
Drummond projects Jonathan Mingo to start alongside Lamb and Pickens, moving Tolbert back to the bench. Tolbert posted 49 receptions for 610 yards and seven touchdowns in 17 appearances, including 15 starts.
“Dallas spent a 2025 fourth-round pick to acquire Jonathan Mingo from Carolina last season,” Drummond detailed in a May 8, 2025, story titled, “Jobs in Jeopardy: George Pickens trade puts these Cowboys wideouts on notice.” “Mingo is a much different body type than any other receiver in the Cowboys’ WR corps. Lamb and Pickens stand 6-foot-2 and 6-foot-3, respectively, and both check in at 200 pounds. Tolbert is 6-foot-1 and 195 pounds, while Ryan Flournoy is the same height and 200 pounds, though visually and play-style wise is a much thicker wideout.
“Mingo stands at 6-foot-2, 220 pounds. He’s a Z receiver through and through and will compete with Tolbert to be the third receiver in the majority of three-wide configurations. This is going to be the primary training camp battle.”
Dak Prescott on George Pickens Trade: ‘I Know We Needed Some Help at That Position’
The Cowboys traded for Mingo last November, but the wide receiver has yet to carve out a role in the offense. Yet, the addition of Pickens could open up an opportunity for Mingo to earn the third wideout role over Tolbert given his skillset.
Mingo posted just five receptions for 46 yards and no touchdowns during his eight appearances with the Cowboys after being traded in 2024. Given Tolbert’s production, it would be an upset for Mingo to earn the starting gig.
All this makes the wide receiver spot one of the positions to watch during training camp. One person thrilled about the acquisition of Pickens is Prescott.
“I’m excited,” Prescott told 1310 The Ticket during a May 14, interview, per NFL.com. “You turn on the tape, you see a guy that can catch the football. You put the football anywhere in his vicinity, very strong hands, more than a 50-50 catcher. He thinks it’s his ball when it’s in the air. I’m excited for him. I know we needed some help at that position. I know that CeeDee (Lamb) needed some help. I think when you have a guy like that, it’s hard to double team two guys.
“And then when you have other guys, whether it be (Jake Ferguson), Jalen Tolbert, (Jonathan) Mingo, guys who have had reps and know how to get open in the league, I think we’re putting together a nice group of weapons.”
