Trade George Pickens? One Key Reason Cowboys Must Proceed With Care

Dallas Cowboys receiver George Pickens is the big topic of discussion after the 33-30 overtime loss to the Arizona Cardinals.

And there are a couple of reasons why.

The first is that the Cowboys simply aren't using Pickens as part of their offense. 

On the drive right before the two-minute warning against Arizona, Pickens wasn't on the field at all, and CeeDee Lamb didn't enter until third down.

Just two receptions for 48 yards on four targets for a receiver making $27 million isn't enough. The week prior, Pickens had just six targets. 

But perhaps the most glaring thing is that Ryan Flournoy, in the past two weeks, has had more snaps than Pickens. Against the Cardinals, Flournoy had 50 to George's 42, and against the Philadelphia Eagles, Flo had 53 to Pickens' 41.

That is odd.

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The second reason why Pickens is in the news is because a lot of people want the Cowboys, if they aren't going to use him properly, to trade him ahead of the deadline.

With Dallas set to get a compensatory pick, likely a third-rounder if Pickens walks as a free agent next year, some want the Cowboys to pull the trigger now, get a draft pick, and move on.

In theory, that is a sound plan. The season isn't going anywhere at 3-5, and people telling you otherwise are either in denial about what the Cowboys are, or are just the super fans who believe in their team no matter what.

But there is something serious to consider when talking about a trade for Pickens.

And that is what sort of message it would send not only to the Cowboys Nation, but to the locker room.

A trade of Pickens would announce to the players and the football world that the Cowboys have officially given up on the 2026 season.

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The impact of that on the likes of Dak Prescott, CeeDee Lamb, Quinnen Williams, and every other player and coach on the staff could be huge. And not in a good way.

You never want to send that sort of message to your team, and we know Jerry isn't one to have his team above the fold. Trading Pickens would do just that.

The Cowboys are out on 2026. That's the message. 

It is clear the Cowboys, at least right now, have no intention of trading Pickens, perhaps somewhat stubbornly, but everything has a price, and if Dallas somehow loses to Indianapolis, teams will be calling the Cowboys to test the waters.

So yes, the idea of moving on from Pickens is a sound one, but we have to think of the message it would send to the locker room in the process.