The Dallas Cowboys say they aren’t trading superstar wide receiver George Pickens, but at least one rival general manager is disputing that claim, which could mean an opportunity for the Washington Commanders and their offense starved of pass-catchers.
Jason LaCanfora of SportsBoom reported on Wednesday, April 29 an anonymous GM who believes that draft compensation and a young player would be enough to pry Pickens loose from the clutches of mercurial Cowboys owner Jerry Jones.
“If [Pickens is] the No. 1 guy in a different offense, maybe he doesn’t have to play out the tag two years in a row,” the GM told LaCanfora. “That’s what’s going through his mind. Jerry isn’t going to be excited about 2027 draft picks now.”
LaCanfora went on to offer a timeline of mid-July as a reasonable window in which a Pickens deal could happen.
“We wouldn’t call a trade before the July 15th deadline during which a player can sign an extension on a franchise tag an impossibility by any stretch, based on the chatter we’ve heard,” he wrote.
Cowboys Have Shown Willingness to Make Blockbuster Trades Within NFC East Division
GettyOwner Jerry Jones of the Dallas Cowboys.
Normally trading within the division isn’t something that’s done in the NFL, at least not frequently.
However, Jones just made a first-round draft deal with the Philadelphia Eagles that helped them land wide receiver Makai Lemon, stealing him out from under the Pittsburgh Steelers with the 20th overall pick.
In the aftermath, Jones spoke about his philosophy with regards to trade partners.
“I don’t really pay much attention to who I’m talking to,” Jones explained, according to Pro Football Talk. “Al Davis, probably the first thing he tried to put in my head was, ‘Don’t even answer a call from your division.’ … I didn’t take that lesson from Al.”
Commanders Should Be Willing to Pay Steep Trade Price for George Pickens
GettyWashington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels.
Pickens was the Cowboys’ top receiver last season, and one of the best in the entire league. He produced 93 receptions for 1,429 yards and nine TDs, earning his first Pro Bowl nod and a second-team All-Pro selection.
Despite that, Dallas has remained adamant it will not sign Pickens to a longterm contract this offseason after employing the franchise tag to keep him out of unrestricted free agency. Pickens has bucked against that path forward and wants a multi-year deal near the top of the market and the guaranteed dollars that go with it.
Pickens’ franchise tender totals $27.3 million in 2026, but the 25 year old has yet to sign it.
Washington is in considerable need of another top target alongside Terry McLaurin, as quarterback Jayden Daniels returns from an injury-plagued sophomore season.
There is no question Pickens will cost at least a first-round pick in trade, and the 2027 draft is full of elite talent at several positions, so Washington would be taking a considerable risk.
If the Commanders draft a first-round wideout next April, whoever he is and at whatever pick he will cost, that player will be younger and far less expensive than Pickens on a cost-controlled contract over the following five seasons.
But that won’t help the Commanders and Daniels turn the team around in 2026 after a 5-12 season that has some questioning how long the current regime might last in Washington if things go poorly again this year.
Commanders Get Good News on George Pickens Amid Cowboys Trade Rumors