The Dallas Cowboys entered the 2025 offseason with a massive hole at wide receiver, and you can make a strong case that it was their biggest need. Brandin Cooks was the de facto No. 2 receiver for the last two years, but his age has started to catch up to him, and he was no longer able to fill that spot.
Dallas was hopeful to address that spot in the NFL Draft and it was reported that Tetairoa McMillan (Arizona) was their top target at No. 12. But after he was picked by the Panthers at No. 8, the Cowboys thought their was a big drop-off at receiver and did not address the position the rest of the way.
That is how the George Pickens trade happened, and while the Cowboys are incredibly excited about his fit in the offense, it’s important to remember that he is on a one-year deal. And while Dallas would love to hold onto him if he has a big season, that might not be feasible considering all of the other top-end contracts they currently have on the roster.
In a recent article by Trevor Sikkema of Pro Football Focus, he wrote about one position of need every team should consider addressing early in the 2026 NFL Draft. And for the Cowboys, that position was none other than receiver.
Cowboys will need a wide receiver once again going into 2026
Here is what Sikkema had to say about the position going into the year:
"The Cowboys recently traded for George Pickens, who will be their WR2 behind CeeDee Lamb for the upcoming season. But he is in the final year of his rookie deal, and if his performance doesn't warrant an extension, then things get very thin in Dallas at that position. Special-teams ace KaVontae Turpin was the only other Cowboys receiver to earn a PFF receiving grade above 70.0 in 2024, and that includes tight ends and running backs."Trevor Sikkema, Pro Football Focus
It's also worth mentioning that Jalen Tolbert is also scheduled to become a free agent after the 2025 season and he is coming off the best year of his career. Losing Pickens and Tolbert in the same offseason could significantly hurt their depth, especially if players like Jonathan Mingo and Ryan Flournoy don’t step up.
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The best-case scenario would be for Pickens to have a monster season and for the Cowboys to find a way to retain him. But it sure feels like Dallas is viewing this as a rental season with the idea that they could gain a future compensatory pick by Pickens leaving in 2026.
With Dak Prescott, CeeDee Lamb, and soon-to-be Micah Parsons all commanding top-of-the-market contracts, the Cowboys have to find cheaper solutions at other positions. And drafting a receiver in the first round in 2026 might be the way to go. It might be wishful thinking to believe that the Cowboys will pay two wide-outs top-end money, and that's why the draft will likely be their solution.
The top receivers in the 2026 NFL Draft include Carnell Tate (Ohio State), Eric Singleton Jr. (Auburn), and Jordyn Tyson (Arizona State), and all three could be options for the Cowboys in Round 1. Keep an eye on the upcoming receiver class because it could very likely be the position Dallas targets early in next year’s draft.