What another team does with their players is irrelevant.
Pickens has had disciplinary issues even if we just look at his time in Dallas. He was literally benched for a series. And several local reporters have hinted that there were other issues throughout the season.
On top of that it was his only truly elite season out of four in his career and only his second above 1000 yards.
Saying he's "given them no good reason to doubt him" just isn't true.
If it were up to me I'd sign him long term right now and just figure it out but it's silly to say he hasn't given them any reason to doubt him.
That a lot of innuendo. His benching was one series in an outstanding season. You can’t be perfect every game and that game was Pickens’ worst. Players have bad games.
I’m hoping there’s something to it, that he has been missing meetings, showing up late, farting inappropriately in front of Charlotte, or whatever and this is Dallas’ public stance as they hope to privately resolve all this stuff with improved behavior. But we’ve seen nothing actually reported about any of this. It’s just some vague innuendo that frankly serves the Cowboys well to have their shills spread.
But Pickens
has shown a lot in four years, especially given the conservative Steeler offense and bad QBs. You can’t actually believe Pickens hasn’t shown up on the field. It’s not a credible stance.
Pedigree, talent, his explosive performance in Dallas— his relatively less productive 1st and 3rd seasons— those are on Pittsburgh.
And performance and contracts of other players absolutely are relevant. Each one establishes market values and standards of behavior and availability.
No matter how much they mistrust Picken’s supposed “behavior”, it can’t be to the tune of 20 games of just not showing up. Market established— NFL teams can sign WRs even when risks are elevated.
And in Watson’s case, they are clearly documented risks, facts, not innuendo.
