The Atlanta Falcons have been named the top potential landing spot for Dallas Cowboys receiver George Pickens ahead of the Nov. 10 NFL trade deadline. Drake London is carrying much of Atlanta’s receiving load, while Michael Penix Jr. is coming off a four-interception performance against Tampa Bay.
But the suggestion comes with a catch: Dallas reportedly has little interest in moving Pickens, even with his long-term future unsettled.
Falcons George Pickens Trade Prediction Puts Atlanta First
In his Nov. 4 ranking of six possible destinations, The Sporting News’ Vinnie Iyer placed Atlanta ahead of the Miami Dolphins, Los Angeles Rams, Las Vegas Raiders, Arizona Cardinals and Washington Commanders.
Iyer wrote that the Falcons “have the best shot at acquiring Pickens” before the deadline, pointing to the team’s ability to absorb the remaining cost of his franchise-tag salary.
He also sees a clear role for the former Pittsburgh Steelers receiver. Atlanta needs “another downfield passing target,” Iyer wrote, to complement London, tight end Kyle Pitts and running back Bijan Robinson.
It’s a sizable endorsement for a team that fell to 3-5 after Sunday’s 16-0 loss to Tampa Bay. Penix threw four interceptions and completed eight of 24 passes, but the Falcons remain in a crowded NFC South race.
Iyer believes Pickens could help Atlanta make up ground. He wrote that “Pickens can help them finish ahead” of their division rivals.
The financial side is another reason Iyer likes Atlanta. He suggested an eventual deal worth “more than $30 million per season,” a commitment the Falcons could consider beyond this year.
Pickens, 25, has 39 catches for 533 yards and two touchdowns through eight games with Dallas. Those numbers are down from his 93 receptions, 1,429 yards and nine touchdowns in 2025, his first season with the Cowboys after Pittsburgh traded him.
Cowboys’ George Pickens Stance Complicates Falcons Trade Idea
Pickens is playing on a one-year, $27.298 million franchise tag. Dallas cannot extend his contract until after the 2026 regular season, leaving open the possibility of another expensive negotiation or a departure in free agency.
Atlanta has some room to maneuver. Over the Cap estimates about $27.9 million in current cap space and projects more than $100 million for 2027, although those future figures will change as the roster takes shape.
The receiving numbers make the fit understandable. London leads Atlanta with 39 catches for 624 yards. Jahan Dotson has 14 receptions for 337 yards, while rookie Zachariah Branch has 10 for 64. Pitts has 22 catches for 197 yards and four scores.
Yet Iyer’s ranking is a prediction about fit, not a report that trade talks are underway. In fact, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reported Wednesday that Pickens “remains content in Dallas and doesn’t want to be moved,” adding that Dallas does not plan to trade him.
There is hesitation in Atlanta, too. In a separate ESPN trade deadline assessment, ESPN’s Marc Raimondi wrote that general manager Ian Cunningham wants to build through the draft and is reluctant to surrender valuable picks.
That creates two obstacles for the Falcons: convincing the Cowboys to move a receiver they want to keep, and deciding how much future draft capital is worth spending to improve a 3-5 team.
Pickens could give Penix another established downfield target. Whether Dallas would even entertain an offer is the bigger question.
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