The Dallas Cowboys are well aware they can't afford to lose George Pickens in free agency, but Jerry Jones is being Jerry Jones again. For the way he helped transcend the Cowboys' offense, Pickens has more than earned a lucrative new deal, but contract talks have been stuck in neutral for a while.
The longer this process drags out, the more likely it is that the fourth-year wideout could leave in free agency, and he'll have no shortage of suitors. But if you ask Pro Football Focus' Mason Cameron, Pickens' best option to be to leave Dallas for an opportunity with the Atlanta Falcons.
"Pairing George Pickens with Drake London would create one of the NFL's most electric receiver duos and set the young quarterback up for success," Cameron writes.
Instead of pairing the 24-year-old up with CeeDee Lamb for years to come, Cameron can see Pickens join forces with Drake London. This would be brutal for the Cowboys after his breakout season, so hopefully it sends the message to the Joneses that this cannot happen under any circumstances.
The Falcons are an obvious suitor for George Pickens if the Cowboys play games
Cameron's assessment comes down to one man: Michael Penix Jr. The 2023 Heisman Trophy runner-up took the nation by storm at Washington, but has struggled to make his mark at the NFL level because of injury woes and a poor scheme fit. Adding Pickens would make his life far easier.
Cameron noted that Penix ranks in the bottom half of the NFL in downfield completion percentage since being drafted, and the Georgia product is one of the best downfield threats in football. And as someone who grew up in the Peach State, Pickens comes from Atlanta's backyard, which is alarming.
The Falcons also have a new head coach and GM in Kevin Stefanski and Ian Cunningham, who could be looking to make a splash in their first offseason together. They're clearly committed to developing Penix, which means adding weapons to cater the offense to his strengths is a top priority.
Brian Schottenheimer's offense desperately needed a vertical threat like Pickens opposite Lamb, and we saw how everything opened up for Dak Prescott after he was acquired. Only the Rams averaged more passing yards per game than Dallas, and Prescott is by far the best QB he's played with.
Whether they franchise tag him or back up the brinks truck for a new extension, it truly doesn't matter, as long as stop at nothing to make sure that star is still on his helmet in 2026 and beyond. They want to keep him, but if they aren't able to, Jerry better be prepared.