The Dallas Cowboys don’t really have the draft capital to responsibly make another big-time trade for the defensive help they need.
The Cowboys do, however, have someone on their roster who might make that happen—not only return a draft pick (or two) but also add a defensive starter: NFL All-Pro wide receiver George Pickens.
“The Cowboys’ best trade asset is wide receiver George Pickens, who’s playing on the franchise tag, does not appear to be in the team’s long-term plans and actually missed Sunday’s game because of an injury,” ESPN’s Dan Graziano wrote on Monday. “The wise move for Dallas would be to see what teams would be willing to give up for Pickens. Maybe that’s how they find the help they need on defense — some kind of player-for-player swap with a team desperate for wide receiver help. And there are several, as we’re about to discuss below.”
It just so happens that a Super Bowl contender with a surplus of defensive talent is out there — the Denver Broncos. And they might be willing to make a deal.
Broncos Lacking Game Changer on Offense
The Broncos could use some help on offense. Rumors have been circulating about a running back coming to Denver in a trade — maybe Jonathan Taylor — but at this point it doesn’t really matter where the help comes from. Wide receivers should be on the table, too.
Denver has made the playoffs the last two years, including a 14-3 record and the AFC’s No. 1 playoff seed in 2025 before losing in the AFC Championship Game — mostly because of their lack of offensive firepower.
The Broncos are 7-2 and have won five straight games heading into their Week 10 bye.
“I think the receiver market will be aggressive,” Graziano wrote. The list of contenders that really need wide receiver help includes the Chiefs, Patriots, 49ers, Steelers, Seahawks and Rams. You could also make a case the Broncos and Giants belong in that group.
What Pickens-to-Broncos Trade Looks Like
The Cowboys have an elite trade chip in Pickens because the Broncos lack a game-breaking player on offense despite trading their 2026 1st-round pick to the Miami Dolphins for wide receiver Jaylen Waddle.
That same lack of a game-breaker means the Cowboys should press the Broncos for a defensive starter and a draft pick. They should start any negotiations by asking for a 2027 3rd-round pick and either starting cornerback Riley Moss or cornerback and 2025 1st-round pick Jahdae Barron.
Barron, who hasn’t been able to beat out Moss for the starting spot the last two years, might just need a fresh start. Moss is in the final year of his rookie contract and has a lot to play for in 2027 — he’s in line for a deal that pays him between $15 million to $20 million per year if he hits the open market in 2027.
Broncos Trade Pitch Swaps Defensive Star for Cowboys WR George Pickens