The Cowboys have tagged Pickens and have stated they want him to remain in Dallas, but others think a move away can happen.
The Dallas Cowboys and George Pickens contract saga has taken a back seat as free agency has begun.
But that doesn't mean it isn't on everyone's mind.
Yes, the tag is expected to pay Pickens roughly $27 million in 2026, but he and the Cowboys would ideally sort out a long-term deal.
One, because it would end all speculation on his future, and two, it would ease the cap hit in 2026, thus allowing Dallas to be more "aggressive" in acquiring players for Christian Parker's defense.
There have been rumblings that the Cowboys could trade Pickens away, which we find odd.
Also, some reports state Dallas would want only a second-round pick in return. For a player coming off a 1,429-yard, 9 TD year in 2025, that is awfully cheap.
We don't believe that the Cowboys will trade Pickens, and we especially don't think that a second-round pick will get it done, either.
One reason why? Do the tag math: The designation indicates that Dallas thinks he's worth two first-round picks.
So how and why would a star worth two first-round picks be dealt for one second-round pick?
But that math truth hasn't stopped some from thinking that Pickens could be dealt.
Bleacher Report's Moe Moton is the latest to put forth his idea, and he has Pickens going to New England.
"According to Ian Rapoport, Pickens won't report to the Cowboys' facilities without a new deal after the club franchise-tagged him,” Moton wrote. "To avoid a potential holdout situation, Dallas can ship Pickens off to the New England Patriots, who have been heavily linked to wide receiver A.J. Brown in the rumor mill.
"Rapoport believes the Cowboys would accept a second-round pick for Pickens, which is a fair price for the Patriots if he becomes their go-to pass-catcher over Romeo Doubs."
One can only imagine the reaction if the Cowboys did, in fact, trade Pickens away, and only a second-round pick came back.
The Cowboys' offense would be a shell of itself as a passing unit, with Pickens out, leaving CeeDee Lamb and Ryan Flournoy as Dak Prescott's top two passing targets.
Yeah, that won't do.
The worst-case scenario here, I think, is that Pickens plays on the tag, and we have to deal with the constant chatter about his future all season long.
George is a Cowboy for 2026, and somehow, if he is dealt, it won't be just a second-round pick that gets it done.
Also, we haven't heard of many teams, if any, willing to go after Pickens in a trade.
That might say it all.