George Pickens will be a well-paid receiver for the Dallas Cowboys this season. Even though the Cowboys are not planning to enter negotiations with the pass catcher that would keep him in Dallas for multiple years, he will be paid $27.3 million this season as a result of his non-exclusive franchise designation.
Pickens has been “tagged” by the Cowboys and that will result in a notable salary for the upcoming season. However, that is not the kind of deal that star players going into the prime years of their career want to play under.
Pickens has played four years in the NFL — three with the Steelers and one with the Cowboys — and he has been a game-changing receiver.
The 25-year-old was a second-round draft choice in 2022 and that’s a possible reason that a long-term contract could be an issue. The other reason is that the Cowboys tend to use the franchise tag more than most teams, and their players who have played under it include quarterback Dak Prescott, defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence, tight end Dalton Schultz and running back Tony Pollard.
Pickens has been an excellent receiver in each of his four seasons and he was spectacular last season. He caught 93 passes for 1,429 yards with 9 touchdowns, and 73 of his receptions resulted in first downs for the Cowboys.
Pickens is valued by Cowboys, but longer-term deal looms
Cowboys vice president Stephen Jones believes that Pickens is clearly an integral part of the Dallas offense. “We’re so fired up to have George on this football team,” Jones said Wednesday at the Cowboys’ predraft news conference, per ESPN reporter Todd Archer. “Obviously, he’s been here for a year. We gave up a third-round pick for him, and certainly he’s made tremendous progress in the year he’s been here. I think he’d be the first to tell you this is a great situation for him.”
Whether it’s a “great situation” for him may be up for debate. Pickens and his agent David Mulugheta might want a new employer. While there are no guarantees, multiple teams could be interested in his services.
Some of the teams that may want to pursue a trade with the Cowboys for Pickens include the Kansas City Chiefs, Seattle Seahawks, Cleveland Browns, Washington Commanders, Los Angeles Chargers, Los Angeles Rams and New Orleans Saints.
The Browns have the No. 6 pick in the NFL Draft, and they are expected to use that choice to select wide receiver Carnell Tate of Ohio State. That is likely to take the Browns out of consideration for Pickens. The Cowboys are not likely to make a deal with their long-time division rivals in Washington.
Patrick Mahomes and Andy Reid need a big-time wideout
Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
The Chiefs may be the team that has the most to gain by making a deal with the Cowboys. Kansas City is looking to regain its elite status overall by rebuilding their once-formidable offense.
The Chiefs added a top running in Kenneth Walker during free agency, but their wide receiver crew is far from elite. Tyquan Thornton, Xavier Worthy and Rashee Rice appear to be their leading wide receivers at this point, and none of them are in Pickens’ class.
Rice was the most productive of the bunch last year. He caught 53 passes for 571 yards and 5 TD while playing just 8 games for the Chiefs as a result of a suspension that forced him to miss the first six games of the NFL season. The NFL has said that an investigation into abuse allegations by Rice will not result in an additional suspension in 2026.
The addition of Pickens would clearly serve as a huge plus for Mahomes, who has seen his passing numbers take a hit in recent seasons.
Jim Harbaugh and Justin Herbert could use a dynamic receiver like Pickens with the Chargers, and Rams head coach Sean Payton could take advantage of a top receiver in a way that few other sideline leaders are capable of achieving.
Additional teams could also emerge with offers for Pickens, but it seems the Chiefs, Chargers and Rams would benefit the most from his presence.
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