NFL Teams That Must Pursue George Pickens if Dallas Cowboys Tag and Trade Star WR

With Super Bowl LX in the rear view, the NFL's focus largely shifts to free agency, which will officially open on March 11. Dallas Cowboys wide receiver George Pickens figures to be among the top free agents on this year's market—if he reaches it.

The window to apply the franchise tag will open on Tuesday, and the Cowboys are expected to apply the tag to Pickens, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.

However, Rapoport speculated (beginning around the 2:00 mark) that Dallas could entertain trader offers for Pickens, once he's tagged, and that a second-round pick might be enough to move the needle.

Acquiring Pickens, whether in a trade or via free agency, will almost certainly require giving him a lucrative long-term deal. Getting him in a trade, though, would eliminate the risk of losing him to another team on the open market.

With this in mind, let's examine six NFL teams that should make a run at Pickens if he's available in a tag-and-trade scenario and why.

Buffalo Bills

AP Photo/Jack Dempsey

Bills QB Josh Allen

The Buffalo Bills came close to beating the Denver Broncos and advancing to the AFC title game. Had the Bills' receiving corps come up with one more big play, they might have advanced.

Buffalo has an elite quarterback in Josh Allen, but it lacks a true go-to, No. 1 receiver. Pickens, who racked up 1,429 yards and nine touchdowns this past season, could fill that role extremely well.

Of course, there would be obstacles to obtaining the soon-to-be 25-year-old (on March 4) from Dallas. Working out a long-term deal with Pickens might be the biggest.

The franchise-tag value for wide receivers is projected to be just over $28 million this year. The Bills are projected to be $10.2 million over the salary cap. General manager Brandon Beane would have to clear space and work out a (likely backloaded) contract to make Pickens a long-term piece of the puzzle.

There's the matter of trade compensation, too. Would the Cowboys really take a second-round pick for a Pro Bowl receiver just entering his prime? Maybe not, but one could easily argue that trading a first-round selection for Pickens would benefit the Bills more than adding an unproven rookie receiver with the 26th overall pick.

Adding Pickens might be just what Buffalo needs to get over the proverbial playoff hump.

Denver Broncos

AP Photo/Bart Young

Broncos QB Bo Nix

Though the Broncos outlasted the Bills, they lost starting quarterback Bo Nix to a fractured ankle. This left them relying on backup Jarrett Stidham against the New England Patriots in the AFC Championship.

Even with Stidham behind center, Denver came close to punching its ticket to Super Bowl LX. Had Stidham had a game-breaking receiver like Pickens at his disposal, he might have been starting in the Super Bowl.

Nix will be back next season, of course, but the Broncos could still use a pass-catcher of Pickens' caliber. Denver's offense was good enough to earn the AFC's No. 1 seed and reach the conference title game, but it was inconsistent throughout the year, especially in the passing game.

Denver ranked a pedestrian 18th in net yards per pass attempt. While Courtland Sutton and Troy Franklin made the occasional bit play, Nix lacked a truly reliable go-to target. Pickens, who provided a quarterback rating of 114.9 when targeted in 2025, could be that guy moving forward.

The Broncos, who have $26 million in projected cap space, would have an easier time locking up Pickens than the Bills would. However, they too might need to part with a first-round pick to get a deal done—Denver's first two selections are 30th and 62nd overall.

At least that would be more reasonable than the two first-round picks it would take to sign Pickens, if franchise tagged, to an offer sheet that Dallas won't match.

Green Bay Packers

AP Photo/Nam Huh

Packers QB Jordan Love

One could argue that the Green Bay Packers were let down in the playoffs by their defense far more than their receiving corps. After all, Green Bay did build a 21-3 halftime lead against the rival Chicago Bears in the wild-card round before blowing it in the second half.

Still, Green Bay lacks a truly dominant receiver in the mold of Pickens. Jordan Love worked well with the Packers' collection of young pass-catchers this past season, but he never had one premier target who was consistently open.

While the Packers undoubtedly still believe that 2025 first-round pick Matthew Golden can be that top-tier target, he isn't there yet. Fellow receiver Romeo Doubs, who led Green Bay in receiving this past season, could also depart in free agency.

Projected to be $4.3 million over the salary cap, the Packers would need to create some cap space to facilitate an extension with Pickens. However, GM Brian Gutekunst should be able to make that happen.

The big question for Green Bay is whether Dallas would truly entertain something less than a first-round pick for Pickens. The Packers don't have one after already sending a pair of first-rounders to the Cowboys for Micah Parsons.

Gutekunst should at least call and see if he can swing another deal with Jerry Jones and the Cowboys.

Houston Texans

AP Photo/Greg M. Cooper

Texans QB C.J. Stroud

You might be sensing a theme here. Like the Bills, Broncos, and Packers, the Houston Texans fell short in the playoffs. Getting back to the postseason will be a priority for Houston, but finding out whether C.J. Stroud is truly a franchise quarterback might be the more important 2026 goal.

Stroud was sublime as a rookie in 2023, but he's been decidedly average over the last two seasons. He posted a solid 92.9 passer rating in the regular season but went on to throw five interceptions in two playoff games.

The Texans need to see if Stroud can return to his rookie Pro Bowl form before deciding on his long-term future—he'll be extension-eligible this offseason. Giving him another elite target opposite Nico Collins could give Stroud the supporting cast he needs to succeed.

While rookie receivers Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel had their bright moments for the Texans this past season, Houston didn't have a truly reliable pass-catcher behind Collins and tight end Dalton Schultz.

Like the Packers, the Texans would have to generate some cap space to sign Pickens to a long-term deal. However, they're facing a reasonable cap deficit of $5.4 million.

If Houston were to add Pickens and Stroud still didn't become the steady signal-caller they need him to be, well, they'd at least have another elite weapon to pair with their next quarterback.

New England Patriots

AP Photo/Charlie Riedel

Patriots QB Drake Maye

The Patriots should feel no shame in getting to Super Bowl LX before falling to the Seattle Seahawks—a squad that Bleacher Report's Gary Davenport ranked as the 17th-best Super Bowl winner of all-time.

However, New England's biggest deficiencies did become painfully obvious during the big game.

Quarterback Drake Maye, who was sacked six times in the Super Bowl and 21 times in the playoffs, couldn't find an answer for Seattle's blitz packages or its pass rush in general. Poor offensive line play contributed to the problem, as did a lack of wide receivers getting open quickly.

The Seahawks did an excellent job of taking away top target Stefon Diggs, and when Maye needed to get rid of the ball quickly, he usually couldn't. A receiver like Pickens, who is a big-play threat after the catch, might have changed the course of that game.

Pickens is exactly the sort of young, do-it-all pass-catcher that the Patriots should be looking to add this offseason. He'd be an ideal complement to Diggs. He could also be the sort of long-term running mate with Maye that the 32-year-old Diggs isn't.

With $35.2 million in projected cap space, New England would have little trouble signing Pickens to a long-term deal if it can acquire him.

Tennessee Titans

AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack

Titans QB Cam Ward

The Tennessee Titans are the one team on our list that isn't a piece or two away from Super Bowl contention—or, in New England's case, actually winning a Super Bowl. The Titans won just three games this past season and are looking to emulate the quick turnaround the Patriots had in 2025.

While replicating New England's 2025 success will be difficult, Tennessee can use the Patriots' blueprint to support Maye and help second-year quarterback Cam Ward. The first overall pick in last year's draft showed a high ceiling as a rookie. Like Maye in 2024, though, Ward was surrounded by a lackluster supporting cast.

Hiring new head coach Robert Saleh and offensive coordinator Brian Daboll was a nice start for the Titans, but they need more if they're going to see Ward make a second-year jump.

Tennessee's receiving corps was particularly problematic last season. The Titans ranked 31st in net yards per pass attempt, while tight end Chigoziem Okonkwo led all pass-catchers with just 560 receiving yards.

Just as Maye made substantial progress after the Patriots added Diggs, Ward could potentially take off with Pickens in the lineup. And with a league-high $99 million in cap space, the Titans should have no trouble locking up Pickens and making him Ward's long-term No. 1 receiver.

Of course, general manager Mike Borgonzi probably won't part with the fourth overall pick, even for Pickens. The value of that selection is simply too high. However, he should see if the 35th overall pick or a similar package to get Pickens and give Ward the No. 1 receiver he so desperately needs.

*Contract and cap information via Spotrac. Advanced statistics from Pro Football Reference.