Pickens has signed his franchise tag, but that hasn't stopped people from thinking he could be on the move in the coming months.
Dallas Cowboys receiver George Pickens has signed his franchise tag, but there are still some who think the Pro Bowl weapon could be on the move in the coming months.
Despite nothing of that nature coming from George's camp, in fact, it has all been media-driven; it is still being put on the table as a possible outcome, and it will likely stay as such until the trade deadline passes in November.
But right now, there's no reason to think that Pickens won't be a Cowboy and a key member of Brian Schottenheimer's offense in 2026.
Of course, we thought the same about Micah Parsons, and look at how they turned out, so the scars are still fresh enough for fans to think that what Dallas has on offense might not be the same in a few months' time.
The true test of the temperature regarding George is whether he shows up to mandatory minicamp.
If he does, great, and it will instill faith from Cowboys Nation that Pickens is fully bought in to the 2026 season. But if he skips it and is willing to take the fine, then that will open up a whole bunch of scenarios, none of which are good.
For NFL Network's Tom Pelissero, while he thinks George will be a Cowboy this season, there is still an element of doubt about it.
"Can I 100% say he'll be a Cowboy in 2026? No," Pelissero said on the Rich Eisen Show. "Because, again, things change. Things move. Injuries happen. Needs change. But, all things equal, sitting here right now, I believe George Pickens is on the Cowboys in 2026."
Regarding a potential trade for Pickens, a couple of things work in Dallas' favor.
One, will there be a team that is willing to give up what it would take for the Cowboys to say yes to a trade (likely a first-round pick)?
Secondly if there is, would said team then be willing to offer Pickens a long-term deal at what will likely be at least $34 million APY, if not more?
Double-dipping, as Cowboys COO Stephen Jones calls it, is what a team would need to do to get Pickens out of Dallas. So that's a lot for a player who some still think needs to prove themselves.
Now, if a team like the Buffalo Bills sees DJ Moore go down injured in training camp, could that spur a move? Sure. But just a straight trade with nothing else going wrong? I fail to see it.
It doesn't mean it won't happen, but I get the feeling Pickens will be a Cowboy in 2026, of course, I thought the same about Micah, too.
