George Pickens has been a revelation for the Dallas Cowboys this offseason. He's been every bit of what the team had hoped for when they acquired him from the Pittsburgh Steelers this past offseason and then some.
Yet, at least one person around the Cowboys will tell you that Pickens is only expendable, albeit to no fault of his own. Moreover, this renowned sports columnist ostensibly labeled the burgeoning fourth-year wide receiver more of a luxury than a necessity for the club. That bizarre, against-the-grain take ($) comes from none other than the Dallas Morning News' Tim Cowlishaw.
Cowlishaw highlights the Cowboys' well-chronicled defensive issues that have plagued them prior to Pickens' arrival and have since only gotten worse, and a looming financial crunch. With those valid concerns in mind, Dallas is questionably urged to trade the 2022 No. 52 overall selection before the league's rapidly approaching Nov. 4 deadline.
Cowboys insider's risky advice to trade WR George Pickens could backfire in brutal fashion
Dallas boasting arguably the league's premier offense has been neutralized by a stop unit allowing the second-most points and yards per game through Week 8. Their inability to limit opponents is nothing new, and that was even with perennial Defensive Player of the Year candidate Micah Parsons. So, Cowlishaw uses nipping this perpetual, vicious cycle in the bud once and for all as justification to reroute Pickens.
"But the notion of winning by scoring at least 30 points every game is a failed exercise," Cowlishaw wrote. "And thinking about ways to keep Pickens is the same as paying no attention to what happened on defense last year, what's happening on defense this year and what this defense will look like in 2026."
The Cowboys are lacking contributors at all three levels and the money to make the necessary upgrades, especially if Pickens secures a long-term contract extension. Knowing this, Cowlishaw emphasizes Dallas' need to reallocate funds between both sides of the ball.
"[Paying Pickens is] fun if what you are building is a fantasy team," Cowlishaw said. "It's insane for a team that turned Micah Parsons into future draft picks last month. ... the Cowboys have to move significant salary cap dollars to the defensive side of the ball for 2026, or we are all watching this same sad movie again."
While Cowlishaw makes sound arguments, parting ways with Pickens feels like a backword move for the Cowboys. Doing so enables the front office to fill other holes on the roster, though it also recreates a void Dallas just filled.
CeeDee Lamb has a legitimate case for being the best wideout in football. Nevertheless, as Cowboys Nation knows, he's sorely lacked a Robin to his Batman since Amari Cooper was sent to the Cleveland Browns in 2022. Pickens has been the ideal complement who's also capable of operating as the No. 1 target and is the perfect archetype for Dallas quarterback Dak Prescott.