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George Pickens #3 of the Dallas Cowboys runs for a touchdown during the third quarter of the NFL 2025 game against the Carolina Panthers at Bank of America Stadium on October 12, 2025 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)
The Dallas Cowboys entered the 2026 NFL offseason with a George Pickens situation on their hands.
After pulling off a trade with the Pittsburgh Steelers to acquire Pickens following the 2025 NFL Draft last offseason, the young wideout put together a career-best season. He produced at a level of an elite No. 1 wideout within the Cowboys’ offense.
Pickens played in all 17 regular season games during the 2025 campaign. He racked up 93 receptions for 1,429 yards and nine touchdowns. All of those numbers were the best of his career.
Dallas had to decide whether it would placed the franchise tag on Pickens, trade him, or sign him to a long-term deal. Jerry Jones and the front office decided to slap the franchise tag on him.
Since the franchise tag decision was made, reports have come out that Pickens may consider holding out. He is prioritizing receiving a long-term deal this offseason, which no one can blame him for. Could that lead to the Cowboys trading him?
Dallas Cowboys Linked to Surprising George Pickens Trade Option
Bleacher Report’s Moe Moton has suggested a potential trade idea that would ship Pickens out of town to the New England Patriots.
“To avoid a potential holdout situation, Dallas can ship Pickens off to the New England Patriots, who have been heavily linked to wide receiver A.J. Brown in the rumor mill,” Moton wrote.
He also shared previous reporting from NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport that Dallas could trade Pickens in exchange for a second-round pick.
“Rapoport believes the Cowboys would accept a second-round pick for Pickens, which is a fair price for the Patriots if he becomes their go-to pass-catcher over Romeo Doubs.”
Moving on from Pickens would be a difficult decision to make. He has shown legitimate star potential. Losing him would be a big step in the wrong direction for the Cowboys’ offense.
What Would It Take to Sign George Pickens Long-Term?
Should Dallas choose to pursue a new long-term contract extension with Pickens, a lot of money would be needed to make that happen.
It has been widely speculated that Pickens could command a deal worth around $122-124 million over the course of four years. Would that be too much for Jones and the Cowboys to swing?
CeeDee Lamb, the other star wide receiver in Dallas, is in the middle of a four-year, $136 million contract. Paying two wide receivers elite No. 1 wideout money would be a tough move for the Cowboys. They might have to consider trading Pickens.
There is no question that Dallas would receive hefty trade interest if it placed Pickens on the trade block. While the Patriots were suggested as a potential trade partner in this scenario, the Cowboys would likely have quite a few trade offers to choose from.
Expect to hear more updates on the Pickens situation as the offseason moves forward. Dallas would prefer to keep him in town for the 2026 season, but there is a chance that the team could be forced to move on due to financial reasons.
Evan Massey Evan Massey is a sports reporter and analyst located in Indianapolis, Indiana who covers the NFL, NBA, MLB, WNBA, and college sports. He has been featured on many publications, including Newsweek, Athlon Sports, ESPN, Yahoo! Sports, Forbes, Bleacher Report, Sporting News, and many others. In his free time, Evan enjoys spending time with his wife and son. More about Evan Massey
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