For an article revealed Tuesday, The Athletic’s Jon Machota famous that Dallas Cowboys personnel imagine that the group “has the perfect tradition for” vast receiver George Pickens to thrive after buying him from the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Throughout a current dialog with London sports activities radio station TalkSport, Steelers reporter Brian Batko of the Pittsburgh Put up-Gazette expanded on why Pickens has embraced a contemporary begin this spring.
“I believe there’s a authentic refreshing change of tempo for him, simply due to the load of all this — most of them self-inflicted complications that he precipitated in Pittsburgh, or complications that he needed to cope with in Pittsburgh. And that naturally engendered numerous negativity from the fan base, as properly,” Batko mentioned about Pickens. “I am certain he was carrying out his welcome on folks right here, each inside and outdoors the constructing, to some extent. So now he goes to a spot the place you will have a unique metropolis, a much bigger metropolis.”
Some Steelers gamers and coaches reportedly bought “fed up with” Pickens by the point his third season with the group got here to an finish. The 2022 second-round draft choose allegedly showed up late for practices and for the Steelers’ Christmas Day matchup towards the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs this previous December. He developed a status for making it recognized throughout video games that he was upset over a scarcity of targets, and Pittsburgh head coach Mike Tomlin said the 24-year-old wanted to “develop up” after he was flagged twice for unsportsmanlike conduct throughout a recreation final season.
Shortly after information concerning the Pittsburgh-Dallas commerce went public, a report revealed that “the Steelers’ unsettled quarterback scenario gave Pickens pause about his monetary future.” Batko indicated that Pickens is happy to know he’ll play out the final year
of his rookie contract with Dallas slightly than with the AFC North aspect.
“You are taking part in in lovely ‘Jerry World’ (AT&T Stadium) as a substitute of gritty and dirty Acrisure Stadium in half of your video games,” Batko added throughout his feedback about Pickens. “You are in a extra pass-happy offense. So, yeah, I believe he will likely be happier.”
Veteran Cowboys vast receiver CeeDee Lamb has taken Pickens under his wing, and evidently first-year Dallas head coach Brian Schottenheimer believes Lamb will help maintain Pickens completely happy and settled via the autumn. Batko is not certain how Pickens will react if his numbers aren’t the place he desires them to be by late December, however such conversations might be postpone for later.