While Dallas Cowboys fans are buzzing about the addition of George Pickens, he is quietly set to become an unrestricted free agent after the 2025 season. Pickens could easily command north of $20 million per year on the open market if he stays healthy and plays up to his potential.
Pickens should thrive as the No. 2 opposite CeeDee Lamb and his ability to stretch the field should be accentuated by Dak Prescott, who is among the best deep-ball throwers in the NFL.
It must be noted, though, that Micah Parsons, Tyler Smith, DaRon Bland and Brandon Aubrey all need to get paid. With that in mind, the Cowboys might look to reset the money at wide receiver, which means Pickens could end up as a one-year rental.
The easiest way to do that is address the position early in the 2026 draft. It is a weaker WR class relative to the 2025 class, but Dallas is well positioned to grab one in the first round.
Dallas Cowboys 4-round 2026 NFL Mock Draft
*The Cowboys included their 2026 third-round pick in the George Pickens trade
Round 1, Pick 20: Antonio Williams, WR, Clemson
Williams is the standout of a loaded Clemson receiver room. He was a 2024 first-team All-SEC selection as a sophomore after exploding onto the scene with 75 catches for 904 yards and a conference-leading 11 touchdowns.
While the 5'11" Williams doesn't have Pickens' size, he is among the cleanest route runners in the country. He placed in the 94th percentile in separation rate against single coverage last season, per Pro Football Focus.
The Tigers' star on the shifty side, but that didn't stop him from hauling in 58 percent of his contested targets in 2024. His ability to play outside and in the slot will allow the Cowboys to move CeeDee Lamb all around the line of scrimmage, which is when he's at his best.
Round 2, Pick 60: Malik Muhammad, CB, Texas
The Cowboys might need a little bit of luck for Muhammad to fall this far, but it happened with 2025 second-round pick Shavon Revel. Who's to say it won't happen again? After all, Muhammad isn't a top-tier athlete. That could cause him to slide.
What Muhammad doesn't bring in athleticism he more than makes up for in instincts and closing ability. Over the last two seasons, the Longhorn has accumulated 17 (!) forced incompletions, which is incredible considering he was only targeted on 12.1 percent of his coverage snaps, per PFF.
It's anyone's guess what Dallas' CB room will look like next year. Will they extend DaRon Bland? Will they try to get out of Trevon Diggs' contract? Kaiir Elam will be a free agent as well. Cornerback has to be a top priority for the Cowboys next April.
Round 4, Pick 134: Keon Sabb, S, Alabama
As mentioned above, Dallas will not have a third-round pick courtesy of the Pickens trade. That makes their fourth-rounder (their first in three years) extremely important. It is admittedly tough to project who might be available this far out from the draft, but this safety class is considered a strength relative to some other positions like running back and wide receiver.
Enter Sabb, whose stock has fallen after he transferred from Michigan to Alabama prior to last season. He suffered a season-ending broken foot in October and his play was up and down before that. In 2023, though, he tallied eight forced incompletions and was one of six safeties to have a run-defense and coverage grade north of 80.0, per PFF.
Donovon Wilson will be a free agent in 2026 and the Cowboys can save $7 million by cutting Malik Hooker next year. Next year's draft is the perfect time to get younger at the position.