Recent intel has me nervous the Cowboys may end up making a huge mistake with George Pickens
Until a long-term deal is in place, uncertainty will surround Dallas Cowboys wide receiver George Pickens.
Listen, the Dallas Cowboys may simply be doing their due diligence and nothing else. That’s what you want from a front office ahead of the NFL Draft, right?
But I’d be lying if I told you a recent report on the Cowboys’ draft process doesn’t have me a little bit nervous when it comes to the future of George Pickens. I’m talking about Dallas—with all of its defensive roster holes—scheduling a visit with one of the top wide receiver prospects in the class.
Let’s break it down.
Cowboys looking into top WR prospect
The Cowboys will use one of their “Top 30 visits” in Indiana WR Omar Cooper Jr., according to Ryan Fowler.
Cooper is known for his quality route running and ball skills, which seemingly intrigues the team’s scouting department. But if the Cowboys wanted to pick him, they’d likely need to do it in the first round, especially because they lack a second-round pick.
The decision to use a pre-draft visit on him is somewhat of a surprise. Though they may want to take a closer look, Dallas is expected to focus on defense as they have holes at LB, EDGE, and CB.
Additionally, with CeeDee Lamb, George Pickens, and even Ryan Flournoy on deck, they appear to be set at wide receiver. Which brings me to my Pickens-related fear: If the Cowboys wind up picking Cooper Jr., could they consider trading the franchise-tagged WR?
Possible impact on George Pickens future
I’m aware close to no one in Cowboys Nation would support such a trade. Pickens was a monster for Dallas in 2025 and dealing him away would be a major blow to an offense that will probably need to carry the defense once again.
If Dallas picked Cooper Jr., they should go all-in on offense with a three-headed monster at WR.
But their way of doing things this year suggests they could view it as too much investment at a single position. Keep in mind, this is the front office that recently traded DT Osa Odighizuwa away because it was too much investment at a single position.
To add to my fears, the Cowboys and Pickens have had no contract talks almost two full weeks into free agency. They also placed the non-exclusive tag on him, allowing him to negotiate with other NFL teams.
If they feel like a long-term contract with Pickens is unlikely, it wouldn’t surprise me if they’d be comfortable with a room spearheaded by Lamb and Cooper Jr. as long as they receive good compensation for Pickens.
With all of the above being said, I expect Pickens play for the Cowboys in 2026—even if it’s on the tag. Let’s see if they add more WRs to their Top 30 visits list.
Other known Top 30 visits
Expect reports on the Cowboys’ Top 30 draft visits to pick up in the coming weeks but for now, here are the other two prospects known to have a visit scheduled with Dallas.
- DL Rene Konga, Louisville (via Justin Melo)
- CB Mansoor Delane, LSU (via Ryan Fowler)