Imaginations have run absolutely wild. When the Dallas Cowboys traded for vast receiver George Pickens, the ground for the offense as an entire was instantly raised. Dak Prescott, Jake Ferguson, Jalen Tolbert and Jonathan Mingo will all have simpler lives due to Pickens’ presence, however exterior of the quarterback there isn’t any one who will profit greater than CeeDee Lamb.
Lamb and Pickens seemed to be getting alongside nicely at a softball recreation final weekend for Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray’s basis, and as soon as extra minds started to race on the concept of those two receivers abruptly sharing an offense. With regards to prolific NFL pass-catching duos, a standard purpose is for them every to have 1,000 receiving yards.
Within the present period of soccer, significantly with how lengthy the common season has develop into, having two 1,000-yard WRs is extra attainable than ever. Evaluating it to the previous requires context, however you get the general level right here. If Lamb and Pickens had been to every go for 1,000 receiving yards, then we’d possible take into account the season successful in that specific means (clearly there may be lot extra to the hypothetical).
This isn’t as straightforward of a factor as you suppose, no less than in Cowboys historical past.
A large receiver duo has every reached 1,000 yards solely 3 times in franchise historical past
Because of our pals at Stathead we will fairly simply seek for one thing this particular. A few fast clicks tells us that there are seven years by which the Cowboys had a number of gamers attain 1,000 receiving yards.
That phrase issues, although. Gamers.
1979: Drew Pearson and Tony Hill
2006: Terrell Owens and Terry Glenn
2007: Terrell Owens and Jason Witten
2009: Miles Austin and Jason Witten
2010: Miles Austin and Jason Witten
2012: Dez Bryant and Jason Witten
2019: Amari Cooper and Michael Gallup
Jason Witten’s identify seems right here on 4 events which signifies that a large receiver duo particularly has solely completed this 3 times in franchise historical past. By the best way, it’s exceptional the way it was occurring with such regularity all through the Tony Romo period. He and Witten each stay perennially underrated.
The 2019 season was the final one by which the Cowboys franchise performed with out Lamb being part of it. Diluting the purpose to speak about yards particularly isn’t sensible both, however this entire train partly reveals how Lamb has not had a correct working mate to work reverse of him which is why we’re all so excited.
Talking as an entire throughout your entire NFL, this phenomenon doesn’t occur as usually as you may suppose. There are actually cases of it occurring since Dallas final did it themselves in 2019 with a handful of groups doing it annually since.
Stathead
Individually, Lamb has reached the 1,000-yard mark in every of his final 4 seasons (he got here 65 yards shy as a rookie) the place Pickens did it solely in 2023 (clearly his pattern measurement is smaller).
Whereas there is just one ball and we will make the argument for this total factor not occurring extra usually on account of it the expertise on the sphere (or lack of it) is a big issue. That goes with out saying.
Think about what occurs if we decrease the bar for fulfillment on this specific dialogue. If we seek for the final time that the Cowboys had a number of gamers hit 900 yards in a season then our reply is 2020 when Lamb did it alongside Amari Cooper. If we decrease the bar another time and search for the final time a number of gamers hit 800 yards then our reply is 2021 when Cooper and Lamb had been joined by Dalton Schultz.
Take into consideration that. The Cowboys have gone three straight seasons by which solely a single participant (an unbelievable one in CeeDee Lamb) had 800 receiving yards. An addition like Pickens has been overdue for a while, however this all actually underscores that.
Whether or not or not George Pickens has 1,000 receiving yards isn’t going to be what issues probably the most. But when he does attain that time, it actually is not going to damage.