When the Dallas Cowboys traded for Pittsburgh Steelers receiver George Pickens, the big red flag most had was his on-and-off-field issues.
Often wearing his heart on his sleeve, Pickens can get a little fiery, and some were unsure how Brian Schottenheimer's family-like culture would be able to "handle" such a character.
Granted, the search for a new receiver wasn't something that just popped up; the Cowboys did their research, especially when it came to Pickens.
Still, some are concerned about how George fits into this Dallas culture.
Schottenheimer is not.
“We did a ton of research into GP [Pickens], my interaction with GP has been incredible,” Schottenheimer said. “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, adjust, grow, I'm thrilled with the way the guys have responded to him.
"It's a chance for he and CeeDee, they've trained together, they're spending time together, when we did our homework on GP. We don't have those concerns and we're bringing him into a culture that we feel like he'll thrive just like everybody else. Why? Because it's important to us and we're going to get to know him and learn his story.”
If Schotty has no concerns about Pickens integrating into the locker room, that's good enough for me.
And there might be another reason for Schottenheimer's zero concern for George.
“I love watching him in meetings, because in meetings he's been so dialed in, taking great notes," Schottenheimer said. "He's 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.”
So it has been a positive start for life as a Cowboy for Pickens, and yes, we understand a down hasn't been played yet, but he's doing all the right things as he looks to be a crucial weapon for Dak Prescott.
He's building chemistry with Lamb, attending meetings, and participating in OTAs, and that leads to no concerns about Pickens and his fiery nature...yet.
