Why Letting George Pickens Walk Would Be a Massive Mistake for the Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are heading into an offseason packed with storylines, and none loom larger than the future of George Pickens. After a breakout campaign where he racked up 1,429 yards and nine touchdowns on 93 catches - all career highs - Pickens has firmly established himself as a go-to weapon for Dak Prescott.
Now, with free agency on the horizon, the Cowboys have a decision to make. But let’s be honest: letting Pickens walk simply isn’t an option.
Let’s start with the basics. Pickens is coming off the kind of season that earns you a long-term deal or, at the very least, a franchise tag.
And according to reports, that’s exactly what Dallas is planning - tagging him at roughly $28 million for 2026. It’s not cheap, but it’s the “easiest path” to keeping a top-tier receiver in-house while buying time to figure out a longer-term solution.
Sure, there’s chatter - some of it loud - about Pickens potentially heading to Buffalo. The idea?
Pair him with Josh Allen, give the Bills a true WR1, and make a run while their Super Bowl window is still cracked open. The logic isn’t flawed.
Pickens is a beast in contested catch situations, a vertical threat who can stretch defenses and open up the middle of the field. He’d be a nightmare matchup in that offense.
But for Dallas, the cost of letting him go is far too steep.
Let’s say the Cowboys tag him and he doesn’t want to play under the tag. Could he sit out?
Technically, yes. But that’s a long shot.
Could they tag-and-trade him? That’s been floated too.
But here’s the real issue: if Pickens leaves, what’s left for Dak?
CeeDee Lamb is a star, no doubt. But after him?
You’re looking at Ryan Flournoy and tight end Jake Ferguson as the next men up in the passing game. That’s not a playoff-caliber arsenal - not in the NFC, not with the way the Cowboys want to play under offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer.
The Cowboys’ offense is built to compete now. If new defensive coordinator Christian Parker can elevate the defense to even a league-average level, this is a team that should be back in the playoffs. But take away Pickens, and suddenly that margin for error shrinks dramatically.
From Buffalo’s perspective, the move makes sense. They’re in win-now mode.
They’ve moved on from Sean McDermott, and GM Brandon Beane is under pressure to give Allen the weapons he needs. Pickens fits that bill perfectly - he’s physical, explosive, and still just scratching the surface of his potential.
If the Bills want to make a splash, this would be it.
But Dallas? They can’t afford to play that game.
Letting a player like Pickens walk - especially after the season he just had - would be a misstep of the highest order. And doing so for nothing more than a future compensatory pick?
That’s just bad business.
The Cowboys have a chance to keep one of the league’s rising stars in their building. All signs point to them doing just that. And frankly, anything else would be a massive surprise.
Pickens in Buffalo may be a fun hypothetical. But in reality? He’s too important to what Dallas is building to be anywhere else.