Cowboys Blockbuster George Pickens Trade Urged By ESPN With Major Catch

The Dallas Cowboys spent years searching for someone who could take pressure off CeeDee Lamb following the departure of Amari Cooper.

They finally found that player in George Pickens, watched him become an All-Pro ... and now some believe trading him would help solve their defensive problems.

That's a strange way to reward one of the organization's better personnel decisions in recent memory.

With Tuesday's NFL trade deadline approaching, ESPN is urging Dallas to explore a deal.

“The Cowboys’ best trade asset is wide receiver George Pickens, who’s playing on the franchise tag, does not appear to be in the team’s long-term plans and actually missed Sunday’s game because of an injury,” ESPN’s Dan Graziano wrote on Monday. “The wise move for Dallas would be to see what teams would be willing to give up for Pickens. Maybe that’s how they find the help they need on defense — some kind of player-for-player swap with a team desperate for wide receiver help.''

ESPN mentions the Chiefs, Patriots, 49ers, Steelers, Seahawks, Rams, Broncos and Giants as teams that might want a receiver.

Heavy's Tony Adame takes that info and has proposed sending Pickens to Denver for a 2027 third-round pick and either Riley Moss or Jahdae Barron.

The proposal makes sense on paper. Dallas needs defensive help and doesn't have many draft picks to spare. 

Plus, on the surface, the Cowboys didn't seem to miss Pickens much against Indianapolis on Sunday.

With the receiver sidelined by a hamstring injury, Dallas accumulated 508 yards in its 27-23 victory. But one productive afternoon doesn't erase what Pickens accomplished alongside Lamb throughout 2025.

READ MORE: Did Brian Schottenheimer's Cowboys 'Just Learn How to Win' at Colts?

The Cowboys didn't acquire Pickens because their offense couldn't move the football without him. They wanted another receiver who could command defensive attention, create mismatches and make Prescott's job easier.

And while COO Stephen Jones has acknowledged the difficulty of paying both receivers at the top of the market, that's no reason to trade him, regardless of how disappointing 2026 ends up being. 

Lamb averages $34 million annually, while Pickens is playing under a $27.3 million franchise tag. Keeping both would require difficult financial decisions, especially with the defense needing help.

But Dallas knew Lamb's contract when it acquired Pickens. The Cowboys also knew another strong season could make their new receiver expensive.

Pickens earned himself a raise, Dallas should be figuring out how to pay it.

Replacing his production wouldn't be free, either. Even if a trade brought back an established defensive starter, the Cowboys would eventually need to address the hole his departure created ... barring a superstar-level breakout from Ryan Flournoy or one of Dallas' other promising receivers. 

And if the franchise ultimately decides it can't afford him, Tuesday's deadline doesn't have to determine his future.

Because the July 15 extension deadline passed, a team acquiring Pickens now couldn't sign him to a multiyear agreement until after the regular season.

Meanwhile, the Cowboys can apply a second franchise tag in 2027, projected to cost at least approximately $32.8 million.

That would allow Dallas another opportunity to negotiate an extension. And if the two sides remain too far apart, the Cowboys could explore trading him once he signs the tender.

READ MORE: Cowboys Sources Reveal Trade-Deadline Thoughts On George Pickens

Carolina used a similar approach with Brian Burns in 2024, sending the franchise-tagged pass rusher to the Giants before New York signed him to a long-term contract.

A second tag wouldn't guarantee Dallas a better return. The Cowboys would need to accommodate the salary-cap charge, Pickens would have to sign the tender and, of course, his trade value could change between now and March.

But it would buy Dallas another opportunity to work toward keeping Pickens before deciding to move on.

Our own Mike Fisher already reported this weekend that the Cowboys had no desire to trade Pickens. Unless another team presents an extraordinary offer, there's no reason to reconsider.

The Cowboys have spent enough time and resources trying to fix their defense without much success. They've already found something that works on offense, and Pickens is a major reason why.

If Jerry Jones wants to make another trade, he should figure out how to improve the defense without surrendering one of the players who's actually earning his paycheck.