3 surprise WR targets Jerry Jones must chase if he fumbles George Pickens

You may not have expected it a few weeks ago, but the Dallas Cowboys could lose George Pickens. They're planning to franchise tag him, but in typical Jerry Jones fashion, his frugality could threaten to really hinder extension talks, even though both sides have motivation to get a deal done.

Even so, there's still a chance that Pickens is tagged and traded, which will put the Cowboys right back at square one. The whole point of acquiring the Pro Bowler was to give CeeDee Lamb a legit running mate and Dak Prescott another elite weapon, and that clearly paid off handsomely in 2025.

That means if he isn't back, this is a process Jones will have to restart over again. Obviously, that isn't preferred, but it isn't because of a lack of options. If Dallas really wants to get bold and keep their Super Bowl window open, they can look at these three players to replace their potentially departed WR2.

3 WR pivots the Dallas Cowboys must consider if George Pickens isn't back in 2026

Atlanta Falcons WR Drake London

It's out of left field, but there is a real shot the Atlanta Falcons could trade Drake London. They have to agree to long-term extensions with London, Kyle Pitts, and Bijan Robinson in the near future, and there have been reports surfacing that there's a bit of a gap in negotiations between the two parties.

The Falcons don't have a first-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, so if they don't view him as someone worth elite WR1 money, they could field offers. Luckily, the Cowboys have two firsts they could trade, but the issue with London is the same with Pickens: they'd have to go through the same extension process.

More importantly, you can argue he's a better player, so if Pickens was a good fit alongside Lamb, there's no telling what his fellow 2022 draftee could be.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers WR Mike Evans

Mike Evans may not be the elite receiver he was in his prime, but he remains one of the highest-floor receivers in the NFL. His 1,000-yard streak came to an end in 2025, but if he were to leave Tampa Bay to catch passes from Dak Prescott, he would seamlessly fill Pickens' role and return to form in 2026.

The Georgia product is best as a contested-catch guy and vertical threat, which is exactly Evans' bread and butter at 6-foot-5. As one of the most sought-after WRs available in this free agent class, it would take a lot to sway him away from the Bucs, but makes a lot of sense for a unit built to compete immediately.

Indianapolis Colts WR Alec Pierce

Compared to the other two names on this list, Alec Pierce doesn't have as much name value, but this guy is about to cash in in free agency. Pierce was the main benefactor of Daniel Jones' breakout season, as he reached 1,000 receiving yards for the first time and led the NFL in yards per reception.

The fourth-year WR from Cincinnati was the Indianapolis Colts' best pass-catcher this past season, and would've been their best weapon if not for Jonathan Taylor. He went over 1,000 yards on just 47 catches, so as an elite deep threat, he and Dak would have some instant synergy as a new big-body.

The thing is, he's expected to make a lot of money in free agency, so Pierce and his Colts teammate Michael Pittman Jr. both make sense.