If you're the Dallas Cowboys, the George Pickens situation should be crystal clear by now: pay the man.
Yes, there’s been chatter-some of it loud-about a potential tag-and-trade scenario. And sure, that kind of talk can rattle a fanbase, especially when it comes from a plugged-in voice like Ian Rapoport. But when you dig into what the actual trade market for Pickens might look like, it becomes pretty obvious that moving him would be a step in the wrong direction for Dallas.
According to a recent report, one AFC scout put Pickens’ current trade value at maybe a second-round pick, with a late-round pick swap thrown in. Realistically?
Probably a third and a fourth. That’s it.
That’s the return for a 25-year-old wideout with top-10 upside, already in sync with Dak Prescott and fully bought into the Cowboys’ culture. That’s not a deal.
That’s a discount bin special.
Let’s be honest: the Cowboys have had a rough go in the second round lately. Luke Schoonmaker, Sam Williams, Kelvin Joseph, Trysten Hill-none of them have made the kind of impact you’d hope for from a Day 2 pick. So why would Dallas roll the dice again when they already have a proven commodity in-house?
Pickens has shown he can be a difference-maker. He’s physical, he’s explosive, and he’s only getting better.
He complements CeeDee Lamb perfectly, and he’s one of the few receivers in the league who can consistently win in contested catch situations. That’s not something you replace with a mid-round flyer.
And let’s not forget the bigger picture here. The Cowboys didn’t trade for Quinnen Williams to rebuild.
They didn’t endure the chaos of the Matt Eberflus experiment or the Micah Parsons trade just to start flipping stars for picks. This is a team that wants to win now.
Trading away a key piece of your offense for a couple of lottery tickets doesn’t align with that mission.
If Pickens were commanding a first-rounder on the open market, maybe this would be a different conversation. But he's not. And that’s not a knock on his talent-it’s just the reality of how the league values wide receivers in today’s trade landscape.
So instead of entertaining lowball offers, the Cowboys should do the smart thing: lock him in. He wants to stay.
He fits the system. He’s a weapon Dak trusts.
That’s the kind of player you build around, not ship out.
Bottom line: George Pickens is worth more to the Cowboys on the field than he’ll ever be in a trade package. It's time for Dallas to stop flirting with the idea of moving him and start focusing on keeping him in a star helmet for years to come.