The start of training camp is a time for optimism around the NFL and that is certainly the case for the Dallas Cowboys’ offense. Dak Prescott, CeeDee Lamb and new offseason addition George Pickens were all on the field at the Star for the first time on Tuesday, allowing Cowboys fans to dream of what their new receiver combo could do to open up their passing game this season.

Pickens spoke after practice about his “fresh start” in Dallas and how Prescott and Lamb have welcomed him in. He also couldn’t help but take a jab at his old team in Pittsburgh. Pickens was asked about being typecast as a deep ball threat only and if he though he could expand his role in Dallas, and offered a succinct and telling response.

“I’m definitely excited to run better plays, for sure,” Pickens said.

As a receiver, you can see where Pickens is coming from as the Steelers offense was not exactly a dynamic passing attack. Pickens accounted for 25% of the team’s receiving yards last year with 900 and receivers as a whole accounted for just under 2,000 yards of the Pittsburgh offense that ran a lot through running backs and tight ends.

The difference this year for Pickens is that, despite what they may say this summer, Lamb will be WR1 in Dallas and Pickens will be the secondary option. Even as that dynamic still gets sorted out, Pickens feels he and Lamb complement each other extremely well, and provided what could be a nickname that sticks for the duo if they thrive on the field this fall.

“CeeDee’s a certain type of guy, then I’m a certain type of guy,” Pickens said. “So when you mesh that together it’s like Mario Bros. So we definitely could do something special.”

It seems safe to guess Lamb is Mario and Pickens is Luigi in this scenario, but for the moment everyone is happy with the arrangement in training camp when there are plenty of passes to go around. The question will be whether things can remain as peaceful and happy when the season starts and the real target share gets determined on the field, but that’s a bridge to cross down the road.

The optimism and good vibes of the Cowboys’ offense stands in stark contrast to what’s happening on the other side of the ball in Dallas, where the defense is dealing with the drama and fallout from Jerry Jones’ comments about two of their star players, Micah Parsons and Trevon Diggs. It couldn’t be a Cowboys training camp without some sort of controversy, but at least the offense is providing some balance to that in the form of the kind of optimistic comments that can only come from the start of camp.