A year after the Cowboys made one of the biggest swings in recent memory, the conversation in Dallas is once again drifting toward the trade deadline - but this time the buzz points more toward standing pat than making another splash.
The biggest name in the rumor mill is George Pickens, and the latest word is that Dallas is expected to keep him. ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler and Dan Graziano both came away with the sense that Pickens staying put is what everyone wants right now. Graziano wrote that teams around the NFC East are wondering whether the Cowboys would consider moving Pickens if another loss drops them to 3-6, but he added, “I do not get the sense that Dallas would consider such a move, but if it isn’t planning to sign Pickens to an extension next offseason, it would make sense to at least take the call.”
Fowler’s update was even more direct. He said Pickens has been mentioned as a possible trade target because of Dallas’ 3-5 start, his 2027 free agency and the challenge of paying two high-profile receivers. But he also noted, “I’ve also been told Pickens remains content in Dallas and doesn’t want to be moved, nor does Dallas plan to trade him.”
That lines up with the broader expectation around Pickens: he’s likely to finish this season as a Cowboy. Even with his production down from a year ago - 39 catches for 533 yards and two touchdowns through eight games - he still forces defenses to respect the vertical game. The thinking is that his next deal could land in the Zay Flowers or Drake London range, around $35 million per year.
The Cowboys, for all their uneven play, still believe the roster has enough firepower to be a top-five offense. But the last few weeks have been messy, with the team bouncing between run-heavy and pass-heavy approaches. Pickens’ role hit a low point Sunday against the Arizona Cardinals, when backup tight end Brevyn Spann-Ford saw more targets than he did.
What happens beyond this season is a different question. Dallas has a major decision looming between two former Pittsburgh Steelers, and the possibility has been floated that the Cowboys could use the franchise tag on Pickens and then move him before the draft.
That’s far down the road, though. For now, the expectation is that Pickens stays in Dallas and tries to help push the Cowboys toward the postseason in 2026.
There may be another name worth watching, though, if Dallas does decide to listen on a player. Fowler mentioned tight end Luke Schoonmaker as a possible trade candidate. Jerry Jones said in a Tuesday appearance on 105.3 The Fan’s Shan & RJ that he is not looking to sell at the deadline, but Schoonmaker fits the kind of profile teams often chase this time of year.
The logic is pretty simple. The league is leaning hard into 13 personnel, and blocking tight ends are in demand.
Fowler pointed to teams looking for that type of player, with the Los Angeles Rams standing out after Terrance Ferguson landed on injured reserve. Schoonmaker has slipped to No. 3 on the tight end depth chart, and he’s still young with an expiring contract - exactly the kind of rental that can bring back a very late-round pick.
He may not be a headline-grabber, but for a team hunting depth, Schoonmaker could be the kind of flyer that makes sense.
In Other News...
Cowboys May Catch Colts Right Before A Deadline Shakeup
The Colts are expected to keep the phone lines warm, but not much more, until after their Week 9 meeting with the Cowboys. Indianapolis has already drawn inquiries on several players, including Jonathan Taylor, Josh Downs and Grover Stewart, and the timing matters because the trade deadline is set for Nov. 10, leaving a narrow window for any deal to get done.
For Dallas, that means Sunday could come just before a busy stretch of roster chatter around an opponent that may look different by the time the deadline passes. Jordan Schultz reported the Colts intend to revisit offers after the Cowboys game, which puts a spotlight on a team that could be weighing multiple possibilities at once and leaves plenty of uncertainty about how aggressive Indianapolis will ultimately be. [Read more 🡒]
Cowboys Pass Rusher Fires Back As Defensive Frustration Boils Over
Quinnen Williams has been one of the few bright spots on a Cowboys defense that has spent much of this season fighting uphill, and his message in a recent news conference was plain enough: the group needs to execute. With Dallas sitting near the bottom of the league in both yards and points allowed, the frustration around the unit has only grown, and Williams, who leads the team in sacks, has become one of the most visible voices trying to steady it.
Skip Bayless latched onto Williams repeated use of that word and twisted it into a much darker interpretation, saying the pass rusher was calling for players to be "executed on the field." Williams pushed back on social media, turning a routine football point into another flashpoint around a defense already under pressure. For a Cowboys team still searching for answers, even the language around accountability is becoming part of the story. [Read more 🡒]
Cowboys Injury Report Raises New Concern As George Pickens Role Looms
The Cowboys Week 9 injury report brought a familiar kind of midseason unease, with 16 players listed and seven of them not practicing. Among the names drawing the most attention were Jake Ferguson, Caleb Downs, P.J. Locke and Malachi Lawrence, a group that underscores how thin the roster can look when the weeks workload starts to pile up.
Caleb Downs and P.J. Locke are both in concussion protocol, and Malachi Lawrence is expected to miss a few weeks, leaving Dallas with more uncertainty than it would like this early in November. At the same time, Brian Schottenheimer is trying to navigate George Pickens limited snaps, a situation he tied to the receivers injuries while acknowledging the offense needs to do a better job getting him involved. [Read more 🡒]