When the boss speaks, everyone should listen. When your boss is Jerry Jones, head coach Brian Schottenheimer would be especially wise to listen.
Dallas Cowboys star wide receiver George Pickens was on the field for just 42 of a possible 74 snaps, the lowest percentage of snaps he has played in a game as a pro outside of last season’s regular-season finale, which was a meaningless game. Pickens had just four targets in the Cowboys’ 33-30 loss to the Arizona Cardinals, and that’s not enough for Jones.
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“He needs the ball coming his way more,” Jones said during an appearance on 105.3 The Fan.
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Owner Jerry Jones of the Dallas Cowboys looks on before a game against the Washington Commanders at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, on Sept. 20, 2026. (Stacy Revere/Getty Images)
“And there’s your good case, you say ‘What can you do differently than we did out there the other day?’ We get the ball in that direction more and we press that.”
Jones said the team had a “firm” game plan to run the ball, yet they ran it with little success. As a team, the Cowboys ran the ball 39 times for just 93 yards, and the lack of success on the ground surprised the Cowboys owner.
“The Arizona defensive line is to be commended. They did not have that reputation to have that kind of game they had against us. So, that’s one of the frustrating things about that game,” Jones said.
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George Pickens (3) of the Dallas Cowboys looks on after his team’s 33-16 victory against the Las Vegas Raiders at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada, on Nov. 17, 2025. (Ian Maule/Getty Images)
Pickens was certainly frustrated after the game, as he sprinted down the tunnel to the Cowboys’ locker room immediately after the Cardinals hit the game-winning field goal in overtime.
The drop in targets came after Pickens had only six targets in the Cowboys’ win over the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 7. Through eight games, Pickens has 39 catches for 533 yards and two touchdowns.
That production is far behind what he produced last season, when he had 93 catches for 1,429 yards and nine touchdowns.
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Dallas Cowboys wide receiver George Pickens (3) runs with the ball after making a catch against the Arizona Cardinals during an NFL football game in Arlington, Texas, Sunday, Nov. 1, 2026. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)
Making the lack of targets for Pickens more frustrating for Jones is Pickens’ salary. Under the franchise tag, Pickens is making $27.289 million.
Jones was hoping that Pickens and Lamb would once again be one of the top wide receiver duos in the league and serve as the engine for a playoff team. Instead, the Cowboys are 3-5, and fans are wondering if Jones could consider trading Pickens for future assets, as he is a free agent at the end of the year.
Jones would like to see the Cowboys – and Pickens – get back on track when they play the reeling Indianapolis Colts on Sunday at 1 p.m. ET.