It feels like a year ago that Jerry Jones said that he envisions George Pickens in a Dallas Cowboys uniform for a long time. You can throw all that out the window now.
Speculation about Pickens' future has swirled this week as the Cowboys' interest in Arizona State wide receiver Jordyn Tyson has become apparent. A projected top pick, selecting Tyson would almost surely facilitate Dallas trading Pickens.
That wouldn't have been possible until Pickens signed the franchise tag tender, however. Well, Ian Rapoport has just reported that Pickens has signed the tag.
This could put the Pickens trade wheels in motion, if they weren't already.
The Dallas Cowboys may actually trade George Pickens now that he signed the franchise tag
This comes after Jerry Jones, Stephen Jones, and Pickens' agent -- David Mulugheta -- had a "cordial" conversation about the All-Pro's future, and after Stephen Jones removed any possibility of the two sides agreeing to a long-term deal by announcing that Pickens would play 2026 on the tag.
It could all be a total coincidence, but nothing is ever coincidental with this team. Not with the NFL Draft beginning in just over an hour and the Cowboys likely wanting as many picks as possible to fortify a roster that still has a plethora of holes on the defensive side of the ball.
Let’s not forget that by signing the tag, Pickens has now subjected himself to fines if he skips training camp. That’s significant, given the prevailing belief he wouldn’t show up for OTAs or the start of camp. It’s part of why signing now doesn’t quite add up. Something is going on, and it’s hard not to see it pointing toward a potential trade.
That would almost guarantee that Dallas takes a WR high, potentially at pick No. 12, which could throw the draft into chaos.
Everything is on the table now. Everything.