It's been a quiet free agency for the Dallas Cowboys, and as it stands now, it looks like Jerry Jones is going to wait until he's on the clock at No. 12 to find his next defensive star.
That is, if Jones doesn’t find a trade-up partner to land his next cornerstone talent. Caleb Downs, David Bailey and Mansoor Delane are all prospects fans would instantly fall in love with. The dilemma is clear: the defense needs help at just about every level, but the front office has George Pickens to think about.
George Pickens was franchise-tagged at $27.3 million earlier this offseason. The Cowboys have until July 15 to sign him to a long-term deal. If not, he’ll play the season under the tag.
Some fans are concerned that the Cowboys don't want to pay Pickens and could even trade him to avoid paying two WRs north of $30 million per year. Thankfully, Bleacher Report's Moe Moton provided some reassurance, putting Pickens on the low end of his own trade meter.
"The Cowboys have $14.4 million in cap space, and they could restructure Quinnen Williams' contract to clear an additional $14.6 million. The club has the financial flexibility to sign Pickens to a new deal, keeping the league's No. 2 passing attack from the previous campaign mostly intact. While a trade is possible, the Cowboys are more likely to strike a deal with Pickens before training camp."
Dallas Cowboys fans shouldn't worry about George Pickens being traded
Moton added that the trade meter for Pickens is a 3/10.
It's expected that Pickens will skip offseason activities until a new deal is reached. Brian Schottenheimer has maintained that Pickens loves Dallas, and Jerry Jones has stated multiple times that he plans for the All-Pro wideout to be here for a long time.
As Moton notes, the Cowboys have the financial flexibility to pay Pickens what he’s worth. His market value sits at $30.6 million per year, per Spotrac. The Joneses can easily top that to ensure Pickens stays long-term.
The Cowboys made the right call by placing Pickens on the non-exclusive franchise tag. While he has the freedom to negotiate with other teams and sign an offer sheet with another team, if Dallas doesn't match an offer in five days, they are entitled to draft capital equivalent to two first-rounders.
Pickens may be a luxury in an offense that flaunts another superstar receiver in CeeDee Lamb, but that doesn't mean the Cowboys should trade him. It's doubtful that they'll get fair market value for him anyway, and he gives this team the best chance to win deep into January.