3 teams that could target George Pickens if Cowboys let star WR walk

The Dallas Cowboys are officially eliminated from the playoffs, which means the team can start gearing up for what fixes to be an eventful offseason.

The front office will have some major decisions on its hands, most notably when it comes to the future of wide receiver George Pickens. The Cowboys could franchise tag him for the 2026 season or sign him to a new, lucrative deal.

Pickens, who's posted 88 catches for 1,342 yards and nine touchdowns leading into Week 17, has had a few rough patches the past few games but has ultimately proven himself as one of the top wide receivers in the NFL as he heads for a Top-3 finish in receiving yardage.

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Here are three teams that should (and maybe could) target Pickens if the Cowboys let him walk:

Cleveland Browns

If Shedeur Sanders is Cleveland's starting quarterback headed into next season, he will need a new No. 1 wide receiver to throw to if the Browns are to find any sort of success as a team.

Headed into Week 17, the Browns are averaging the third-fewest passing yards per game (169.5) and will need a big-play threat like Pickens that can create downfield yardage out of a thin air.

From a Cowboys fan perspective, seeing Pickens land in Cleveland certainly wouldn't be an aesthetically-pleasing look.

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Baltimore Ravens

Lamar Jacksonn — Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson warms up before the game against the Cincinnati Bengals at Paycor Stadium. | Joseph Maiorana-Imagn Images

The Ravens have gone through a major slump this season compared to their usual expectations, and Lamar Jackson has looked like a shell of his former self.

Adding Pickens to the fold as a true No. 1 threat could give Jackson new life while keeping Baltimore on the Super Bowl path that it's been aiming for. The Ravens already have wide receivers like Zay Flowers and Rashod Bateman on hand, but haven't had a a Tier 1 wideout for multiple seasons now.

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The Ravens certainly have more things to figure out than just the wide receiver position but adding Pickens would be an impressive start toward turning the ship around.

San Francisco 49ers

It might seem a bit uncharacteristic of the 49ers to go after a big-name free agent on offense like Pickens, but he would make the San Francisco offense that much more scary. The team is almost certain to part ways with Brandon Aiyuk this offseason and will need to address the receiving corps.

49ers running back Christian McCaffrey is set to finish the regular season as the team's leading receiver, but that's not something San Francisco should be expected to rely on over the next few years,

Placing Pickens alongside other reliable pass-catches like wide receiver Jauan Jennings and tight end George Kittle would once again make the Niners Super Bowl contenders for the foreseeable future.

Dallas Cowboys wide receiver George Pickens during the first half against the Detroit Lions at Ford Field. | Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images

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