Tom Brady’s favorite target during the 2006 season was unremarkable beforehand. He was discarded by the New England Patriots soon after and out of the NFL a year later. Rashee Rice and Xavier Worthy are more recognizable names than Reche Caldwell was. That doesn’t mean Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs shouldn’t pursue their version of Randy Moss — baggage and all: George Pickens, who is reportedly set to have the franchise tag placed on him by the Dallas Cowboys before hitting free agency this offseason.
Pickens displayed his ability to be a terrifying receiver this past season, setting career-highs with 93 receptions, 1,429 receiving yards and nine touchdown catches. His future with the Dallas Cowboys could become murky if Jerry Jones follows through on his reported plan to franchise tag him.
Why George Pickens could be available for trade, and why the Chiefs should pursue it
For one season, $29 million is nice on its face, but a lack of long-term security could drive a wedge between the unpredictable wideout and the place he called “a perfect spot” in a The Players Tribune article in November.
Pickens hasn’t had a bad thing to say about his time with the Cowboys. He wasn’t nearly as much of a distraction in Dallas as he’d been in Pittsburgh, where the headaches he caused were enough to prompt Mike Tomlin and Omar Khan to send him away. If Jones refuses to budge on a more expensive, long-term deal, it wouldn’t be surprising to see several general managers pick up the phone.
In Kansas City, Marquise Brown is an unrestricted free agent. Rice averaged 71.4 receiving yards during his eight games in the mix. Worthy, who ran an NFL Scouting Combine record 4.21-second 40-yard dash, has yet to consistently sync with Mahomes on deep throws.
A George Pickens trade package the Chiefs could send the Cowboys
By bundling the blazing-fast Worthy and first- and third-round draft picks, Chiefs GM Brett Veach might be able to pry Pickens from Jones. The Cowboys’ owner likely wouldn’t make it as difficult for a team in the opposite conference as he did for the Green Bay Packers in last year’s Micah Parsons swap.
Aside from Travis Kelce, who turns 37 in October and might call it quits before next season, Mahomes’ link has been the strongest with Tyreek Hill, whom Kansas City traded in 2022. The Chiefs’ offense hasn’t had as potent a pass-catcher since. Hill and Pickens aren’t the same type of receiver, but Mahomes would have just as much fun slinging it the latter’s way.
Pickens smiles at man coverage. Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer said “he’s almost impossible to cover on those 50-50 throws” this past season. Even if the 6-foot-3, 200-pound wideout doesn’t yank a deep ball down, he can cause pass interference penalties that eat up defensive real estate.
If Veach and Chiefs coach Andy Reid can go out and get Pickens, they won’t be watching the playoffs from home again. You’d hear a groan out of their AFC foes all at once.