Every NFL player is available for the right price. Whether the Dallas Cowboys want to admit it or not, the same can be said of George Pickens, who was recently the recipient of the team's franchise tag and will make $27.298 million in 2026.
It's unlikely the Cowboys will trade Pickens this offseason, but surely not impossible. The relationship between Jerry Jones and Pickens' agent, David Mulugheta, has been described as contentious, and doesn't bode well for a long-term extension anytime soon. "Jones’ presence and the fact that Mulugheta also represents Pickens have led to speculation that Pickens could be traded this offseason despite the franchise tag," Pro Football Rumors wrote.
What a Broncos-Cowboys trade for George Pickens would look like
If the Cowboys can get a first-round selection for Pickens – especially on an expiring deal – then it's well worth taking if they don't think they can keep him long term. The 2026 wide receiver class is among the best in recent memory, specifically in terms of its depth. Dallas could use that extra first-round pick to replace Pickens on the outside opposite of CeeDee Lamb, and on an affordable contract to boot.
Pickens, who will be a free agent next season anyway, is expected to receive a long-term deal north of $100 million. The Cowboys shouldn't want to pay that. Meanwhile, any rookie wide receiver (at slot 30) won't cost them more than $16 million. That's a bargain.
Would the Broncos make this trade?
Yes, in a heartbeat. The Broncos need wide receiver depth, and they had been linked to a possible Pickens move as recently as late January by FanSided's Rucker Haringey.
"Nix is an effective point guard for the Broncos' aerial attack but he needs more weapons to perform at a high level. Pairing Pickens with Courtland Sutton on the outside could give the young signal-caller the kind of star power on the outside he needs to succeed...Landing Pickens would cost them almost all of their available resources but it's a move worth making for a team with legitimate Super Bowl aspirations," Haringey wrote.
The Broncos have a top-5 defense in the NFL. They found a quarterback in Bo Nix, even if no one believes in him as much as Sean Payton. There remain some holes at the skill positions, but adding a player like Pickens – who can change a game with one play – solves many of those problems.
Would the Cowboys make this trade?
I tend to lean no, and here's why. The Cowboys would trade Pickens if they didn't think they could sign him. Yet, Dallas is one of the rare organizations that can handle Pickens personality. He misses meetings, goes out late-night with CeeDee Lamb and is punished as a result, and somehow none of it matters. Pickens still went out there and had a career year opposite one of the best receivers in the NFL. If Dallas gets another healthy season from Dak Prescott, I don't see why he won't have another great year in 2026.
The point being, Pickens is reliable and a hell of a talent on the outside. But he's a lot to deal with in the locker room. Pickens needs the Cowboys as much as he needs them, and because of that contract negotiations likely won't be as tense as Parsons' were, no matter if they share the same agent.