With training camp approaching later this month, veteran wide receiver Stefon Diggs remains unsigned in free agency. However, his recent bold statement has ignited a debate across the league, with the Dallas Cowboys' WR George Pickens quickly becoming part of the conversation.

In a recent video on his YouTube channel on July 9, Diggs claimed he is the NFL's best No. 2 receiver. Mike Moraitis of Sports Illustrated believes that Diggs' self-assessment was a stretch, arguing the Cowboys and Pickens would "beg to differ".

"But he is not better than Dallas Cowboys wideout George Pickens, who is fresh off a 1,400-yard campaign while operating as the No. 2 option behind a true No. 1, CeeDee Lamb," Mike Moraitis of Sports Illustrated wrote. "In fact, Pickens could be a No. 1 on a lot of teams in the NFL after what we saw out of him last season."

Mike Moraitis of Sports Illustrated wrote in his article that Pickens 2025 breakout season - recording all career highs in receptions (93), receiving yards (1,429), and touchdowns (9)- makes a strong case against Diggs' claims.

"My opinion, I can compete with anybody," Diggs said, per his video posted on Stefon Diggs YT channel on July 9. "You can't name a No. 2 better than me. Name your No. 2 receiver right now, and tell me how much he makes, and then my last question is: Is he better than me?"

Diggs said that, though he is not competing for the No. 1 WR spot, he believes there is no better player than him at the WR2 spot in the league.

However, Moraitis argued that Diggs finished with more than 400 fewer receiving yards than Pickens, despite serving as the New England Patriots' primary receiving option.

"Diggs was the undisputed No. 1 target with the New England Patriots and did not have anywhere near the kind of competition for targets that Pickens had (don't forget about Jake Ferguson, also), yet Diggs tallied over 400 yards less than Pickens," Moraitis wrote.

 Diggs posted 85 receptions for 1,013 receiving yards (11.9 yards per reception) and four touchdowns in 2025 with the New England Patriots.

Regardless of where the WR2 debate lands, Pickens has shown no signs of letting his contract situation become a distraction. He has continued preparing for the 2026 season alongside his Cowboys teammates ahead of the training camp.

George Pickens joins Dak Prescott’s offseason retreat

Pickens, along with the Cowboys' offensive unit, joined the trek to Prescott's annual retreat in the team's unofficial offseason activity.

"And per a source, Prescott has '100 percent participation' in response to a question of whether receiver George Pickens was in attendance," Clarence Hill of DLLS Sports wrote in his article.

Cowboys tight end Jake Ferguson shared a video of the group retreat on his Instagram account, where WR CeeDee Lamb, KaVontae Turpin, Javonte Williams, and Ryan Flournoy were also present.

By joining Prescott's annual retreat, Pickens has dismissed any speculations surrounding a potential hold-in or holdout ahead of the training camp.

What are your thoughts on Pickens vs Diggs comparison?

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Written by

Archana Ramakrishnan

Edited by

Zaid Quraishi