Cowboys Could Still Trade George Pickens Despite Franchise Tag

The franchise tag doesn’t guarantee that the receiver will remain in Dallas long-term.

The Cowboys could still trade George Pickens this offseason. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The Cowboys placed the franchise tag on receiver George Pickens after months of discussion about his future in Dallas. While this move doesn’t necessarily mean Pickens is there to stay in Dallas, there’s a better chance that he’ll work out a long-term contract with the team.

However, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported on Sunday that the Cowboys are still open to trading Pickens despite placing the franchise tag on him. A “tag and trade scenario” is still a possibility for Pickens and Dallas.

Rapoport noted that the Cowboys notoriously are known for trading away star players for draft compensation (cough, cough, Micah Parsons). So it wouldn’t be a complete surprise if Jerry Jones and Dallas do the same with Pickens.

The Insiders on @NFLGameDay with @TomPelissero, @MikeGarafolo, and @JudyBattista: #Colts plan to open talks for Daniel Jones; #Bengals could franchise tag Trey Hendrickson; #Giants QB Russell Wilson’s future; #Cowboys will tag George Pickens, but could trade him. pic.twitter.com/R5lcNyorZY

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) February 8, 2026

Pickens’s Cowboys teammates, especially his fellow receiver CeeDee Lamb, have been campaigning for him to stay with Dallas moving forward. Pickens, who was traded to the Cowboys from the Steelers last spring, had a standout 2025 season, recording career highs of 93 receptions for 1,429 yards and nine touchdowns.

Other teams, specifically star players on Parsons’s Packers, have already started showing interest in bringing Pickens to their respective squads. Some players were seen attempting to recruit Pickens while at the Pro Bowl Games this past week.

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