Jaylen Waddle Trade Gives Cowboys Perfect Opportunity For George Pickens Haul

The Dallas Cowboys have spent the early stages of the NFL offseason focusing on improving the defense, but a major development on Tuesday should have Jerry Jones and the front office exploring all options on the offensive side of the ball.

On Tuesday morning, the Miami Dolphins completed a blockbuster trade that sent star wide receiver Jaylen Waddle to the Denver Broncos.

Miami traded Waddle and its fourth-round pick in the 2026 NFL draft to the Broncos in exchange for Denver's first-round pick (No. 30 overall), third- and fourth-round picks in this year's draft. It's a massive haul for a 27-year-old receiver who is coming off a season with 64 catches for 910 yards and six touchdowns.

Seeing what the Dolphins got in return for Waddle should immediately have Dallas asking: what could the team get in return for George Pickens?

Dallas Cowboys wide receiver George Pickens celebrates after a play against the Washington Commanders at Northwest Stadium. | Amber Searls-Imagn Images

Last season, Pickens, who just turned 25 years old, hauled in 93 catches for 1,429 yards and nine touchdowns. He is two years younger and coming off the best season of his young career. The upside is there for Pickens, so teams should be lining up.

Sure, Waddle doesn't need a new contract that could pay him north of $30 million per year, but there is more upside for the future. Pickens proved that he can be a team's No. 1 wide receiver after stepping up in the absence of CeeDee Lamb last season.

Dallas, at the very least, should pick up the phone to see if anyone is interested. Because of the contract situation and maturity concerns, it's not realistic to believe Pickens would get a similar return, but a high Day 2 pick should not be out of the question.

Pickens is currently on the franchise tag, which guarantees him $27.2 million this season. However, there is some uncertainty about whether he will be willing to play under the tag. If the Cowboys can get draft capital and avoid another offseason full of contract drama, it would be wise for the team to strongly consider a move, as painful as it may be to see Pickens leave after his breakout year.

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