Cowboys' CeeDee Lamb, George Pickens playing with 'no egos'

FRISCO, Texas -- One day recently, CeeDee Lamb walked out of the locker room and into the Dallas Cowboys' weight room with George Pickens a stride behind as they laughed about something.

During training camp, most days the Cowboys' star receivers walked onto the field in Oxnard, California, together. On off days, they were often together.

About the only time, it seems, they are apart is when one lines up to Dak Prescott's right and the other is to the quarterback's left.

"I don't think you can get any much closer than we've been," Lamb said. "I feel like at the end of the day, we want what's best for each other and that's to be with one another and to grind.

"I feel like we both have that alpha mentality, that alpha dog component to us so just rubbing off on one another and just keeping this thing going. We gotta keep being who we are and at the end of the day prove it to each other every day."

Lamb and Pickens believe their off-field connection helps their on-field production. Last year, they both had more than 1,000 yards receiving, even with Lamb missing three full games and three quarters of a fourth because of injury.

Pickens set career highs in catches (93), yards (1,429) and touchdowns (nine) while Lamb joined Michael Irvin as the only receivers in Cowboys' history to post five straight 1,000-yard seasons.

The start to 2026 has been different, however, as the Cowboys (1-1) head toward Sunday's game against the Baltimore Ravens (1-1) in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (4:25 p.m. ET, CBS).

Lamb has caught 13 passes for 197 yards and three touchdowns. With 153 yards and two touchdowns last week against the Washington Commanders, Lamb has six career games with at least 100 yards and multiple scores, tying him with Tony Hill and Irvin for the second most in team history (Bob Hayes, 13).

Pickens has nine catches for 68 yards. He had two drops in Week 1 against the Giants, including one that could have been a 76-yard touchdown.

"I, of course, want to get him and CeeDee the ball," coach Brian Schottenheimer said. "I think CeeDee's playing great. I think George is playing really well. I mean, some of the catches he made [against Washington] were really big-time plays in big-time situations for us. ... He just didn't have the highlight-type catches and the explosive catches and things like that. But he draws a lot of attention out there.

"Believe me, we're looking for ways to continue to get those guys the ball. And if you look at George last year, he didn't really take off until a couple games in, and the rest is history."

Wide receiver is a position in the NFL known for its individuality. Some have had their own touchdown celebrations, such as Dez Bryant throwing up the X or Terrell Owens extending his arms for a "TO."

They can be moody, especially if they don't get the ball enough. Every move can be -- and has been -- scrutinized by camera angles catching poor body language, a comment or a shake of the head.

"We go through the same stuff just being at the same position," Pickens said. "So I feel like that makes us super close."

Schottenheimer has said numerous times he wants to "build the best culture in professional sports." He said he has been around teams where the jealousy among receivers was a detriment.

"I think it can affect a game. I mean, it can affect a playcaller. It can affect the quarterback, but there's not really a great way to handle it," Schottenheimer said. "And so that's why we're so fortunate, because our guys, they both want the ball. They both want to score touchdowns. They both want to celebrate, but I love how excited they get when the other guy gets it -- or even Ryan Flournoy, [Jake Ferguson] -- their excitement because they love playing the game, and they love this locker room that we've built."

Quarterbacks can get caught in the middle of wide receivers' desires to be the top option. Prescott said he doesn't care about that. He throws it to whoever is open based on his read of the playcalls.

"They can get mad," Prescott said. "Only one of them can get the ball at one time, so they'll probably be getting it the next play. So don't get mad and miss your opportunity."

With Lamb and Pickens -- or Pickens and Lamb, if you prefer -- Prescott said "there's no egos."

"Both of those guys are selfless," he added. "They want to see each other succeed. They're probably each other's biggest cheerleaders to that extent."

When Pickens came to the Cowboys last year in a trade from the Pittsburgh Steelers it was with a narrative that painted him as tempestuous and broody, but he was immediately accepted by the entire organization, starting mostly with Lamb.

"I feel like for him, he wanted to do it for [himself] personally just [welcoming] a new guy in," Pickens said. "That's why I was saying last year, the guys on the team were more welcoming than I've ever experienced from any other team. When I came here, they were all open arms, trying to get me hooked up on the playbook fast. But definitely CeeDee, especially, I feel like he took pride in that."

Said Lamb, "That's my boy. I don't think he questions anything about where my loyalty stands with him and vice versa."

There might be an expiration date on the duo's time together with Pickens playing on the $27.3 million franchise tag. It will be difficult for the Cowboys to pay two top-of-the-market receivers, though not impossible, and there is always the chance the Cowboys could use the franchise tag again on Pickens in 2027.

Lamb and Pickens are not letting contractual futures impact what they want to accomplish.

Offensive coordinator Klayton Adams said Lamb and Pickens are "total opposites." Certainly in fashion with Lamb being more stylistically inclined than Pickens. Lamb wears diamonds and flashy bracelets, even on the field. Pickens is just as happy in a T-shirt and pair of shorts.

"I think CeeDee, probably personality wise, is I guess a little bit more like what I would expect a receiver just in terms of the way that he operates day to day," Adams said. "George, you just don't always know exactly what you're going to get. A little bit more unpredictable, but both are awesome in their own ways."

And together, they are one of the best receiver duos in the league. Well, maybe not just one of the best.

"Yeah, we definitely think we're the best," Pickens said. "Now for everybody else's brains and mindsets, I don't know what they're going to say. But for us, yeah, we're the best."