Cowboys Could Tag & Trade George Pickens

NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport says a tag and trade scenario involving the Cowboys and WR George Pickens is considered a possibility heading into the offseason. 

Dallas is expected to franchise Pickens to prevent him from leaving in free agency and to give them time to work on a long-term deal. However, Rapoport notes it’s not a guarantee they’ll be able to agree on a value for an extension, and that creates the possibility of the Cowboys trading Pickens instead. 

Rapoport says Dallas would likely be able to get more value back than the third-round pick they traded to get Pickens, and they have shown a willingness to trade big-name players in the past (Micah Parsons). 

It’s worth noting Pickens also is represented by agent David Mulugheta, who was Parsons’ agent that Cowboys owner Jerry Jones tried to circumvent last offseason by negotiating directly with Parsons. 

Jones said recently he’s looking forward to working with Pickens on a long-term extension this offseason. 

“I’m talking to George all the time by virtue of my excitement for him,” Jones said, via Fort Worth Star-Telegram. “He’s better than, as far as what he contributed to our team, showing the potential that he could contribute. I’m looking forward to getting things worked out so George can be a Cowboy a long time.”

Pickens, 24, was a preseason All-American second-team selection in 2021 and a second-team preseason All-SEC at Georgia. The Steelers used the No. 52 overall pick on him in the 2022 NFL Draft.

He’s in the final year of a four-year $6,752,177 rookie contract that included a $2,090,674 signing bonus when he was traded to the Cowboys after the draft for a future third-round pick. 

In 2025, Pickens appeared in all 17 games for the Cowboys and caught 93 passes for 1,429 yards receiving and nine touchdowns.

We have him included in our Top 100 – 2026 NFL Free Agents.