Can Pickens be tagged and traded next year?

[visionary]

If Pickens plays up to his potential/expectations, with out past years drama during his contact year, is tagging and trading him for #1 an option?

When is the last time this FO traded a good player for top draft compensation?

So, the answer to your question is the same as to the equally stupid question: can pigs fly?

 

[KingCorcoran]

I don't think it would get to a 2nd tag but I can definitely see a tag next season if he balls out. In other words, if he balls out and significantly increases his free agent value, it would be foolish to let him walk w/o signing a long-term deal or tag.

Let’s consider, a hypothetical scenario. Lamb and Pickens both are healthy enough to start and play in 13 games this season. Lamb catches 67 balls on 97 targets. Seven touchdown receptions. Pickens catches 68 balls on 89 targets. Eight touchdown receptions.

Understanding this is just a fan speculating. Do you think Pickens will be looking for compensation similar to Lamb’s? And be disappointed if it’s not offered? Or do you think he’ll accept the number two receiver role and compensation like other top WR2’s in the NFL? If you had to guess, based on knowing only what a NFL fan could know at this point.

 

[Chasing6]

His pay for 2026 would be $19.385 million, could not be rescinded, and would all hit the salary cap at once of the team that traded for him. Would you trade a 1st for that scenario or would you keep your first and draft a wide receiver with it, and get a 1st round rated receiver at a controlled compensation amount for four or five years?

Dak Prescott is not going to turn any receiver playing second fiddle to CeeDee Lamb into a receiver in great demand. The Steelers need multiple great receivers, too. They know Pickens better than the other 31 teams could. They felt he’s worth a third and said good-bye. Nonetheless, I suspect Pickens is going to think he’s worth $30 million per year no matter what transpires this season.

Depends on what your needs are. We passed and drafted a RG.

 

[JohnsKey19]

Understanding this is just a fan speculating. Do you think Pickens will be looking for compensation similar to Lamb’s? And be disappointed if it’s not offered? Or do you think he’ll accept the number two receiver role and compensation like other top WR2’s in the NFL? If you had to guess, based on knowing only what a NFL fan could know at this point.

Sounds like he was off a lot of teams' draft boards and hasn't really done much to lessen those concerns while in the league. The interest in free agency maybe wont be as hot as one would expect for someone of his talent level. He may be a guy who will always have to accept shorter term prove-it deals. But who knows, he's got one of the top agents, and all it takes is one team to really love the player...

 

[CowboysLakerBamaFan]

If Pickens plays up to his potential/expectations, with out past years drama during his contact year, is tagging and trading him for #1 an option?

You can ATTEMPT to do that...but the main thing everyone here never remembers is that the OTHER team has to agree to the deal in the wacky trade proposals people here throw out against the wall (Dak for multiple 1's, broken down Zeke for a 2, worthless TE Schloopmaker for a 2, just to name a hilarious few examples I've seen here).

You can ATTEMPT to do that, just like you can ATTEMPT to trade Daky for three 1sts, before the reality that no team would make that deal hits you.

We just paid a 3rd rounder and a 5th rounder for a 1 year rental. THATS the reality, and what will happen.

 

[Proof]

His pay for 2026 would be $19.385 million, could not be rescinded, and would all hit the salary cap at once of the team that traded for him. Would you trade a 1st for that scenario or would you keep your first and draft a wide receiver with it, and get a 1st round rated receiver at a controlled compensation amount for four or five years?

Dak Prescott is not going to turn any receiver playing second fiddle to CeeDee Lamb into a receiver in great demand. The Steelers need multiple great receivers, too. They know Pickens better than the other 31 teams could. They felt he’s worth a third and said good-bye. Nonetheless, I suspect Pickens is going to think he’s worth $30 million per year no matter what transpires this season.

we've seen it happen multiple times already in recent years, and dak had ceedee and amari (and gallup) cooking

 

[Proof]

no one in their right mind would trade a WR, with a 24M cap hit, and a one year contract, expecting to be paid in the 30M range for a 1st round pick.

where do you people come up with this stuff!!! seriously. stop playing Madden NFL. its not real

you have a window to workout an extension nullifying the tag. it is absolutely real.

 

[Hawkeye0202]

Let’s consider, a hypothetical scenario. Lamb and Pickens both are healthy enough to start and play in 13 games this season. Lamb catches 67 balls on 97 targets. Seven touchdown receptions. Pickens catches 68 balls on 89 targets. Eight touchdown receptions.

Understanding this is just a fan speculating. Do you think Pickens will be looking for compensation similar to Lamb’s? And be disappointed if it’s not offered? Or do you think he’ll accept the number two receiver role and compensation like other top WR2’s in the NFL? If you had to guess, based on knowing only what a NFL fan could know at this point.

I think Pickens need the spring together at least two seasons of elite play before he can come close to asking for top 10 salary

 

[KingCorcoran]

I think Pickens need the spring together at least two seasons of elite play before he can come close to asking for top 10 salary

I wonder if he and his agent see it that way.

 

[Cowboysheelsreds053]

Here’s the problem, even if we do and trade him, we are back to square one, needing another WR to help Lamb, because no one without the name Lamb scares anyone.

 

[Siroky]

When is the last time this FO traded a good player for top draft compensation?

So, the answer to your question is the same as to the equally stupid question: can pigs fly?

Hello Mr positivity = my ( not so stupid) question was can they not will they. I never assume to know what anyone else will do. It is nice to be aware of the options available. All day yesterday day I only heard people talking about 3 options. 1 he is a head case and fails and we loose the draft capital. 2 He plays beyond expectations and we resign or tag him. And 3 which sounded the most likely, on a contract year, with the best qb and wr combo he has played with so far, he plays above expectations and keeps the drama in check so he can maximize his next contract. Not willing to pay the next in line #1 wr contract that this league continues to doal out for simply being next in line, we let him walk collecting a comp 3. In this 3rd scenario, which I find very likely, if someone is willing to pay enough to collect the comp 3, I believe there would more than one team out there. Which would increase the likely likelihood of trading him ( AJ brown comes to memory) for at least a 2 if not a 1. Doesn’t sound like a stupid question ‍. But your positivity sounds like numerous jaded fans on this forum, more interested in jokes and jabs than conversation and debate.

 

[Aerolithe_Lion]

There’s a rule with the franchise tag that you cannot tag someone just to trade them. You have to tag them with the full possibility of keeping them on that tag #, then you can discuss trade options with the player. If Pickens says “Yes I’ll take 20m$ from Dallas in 2026” then you’re boned

 

[Loso86]

If Pickens plays up to his potential/expectations, with out past years drama during his contact year, is tagging and trading him for #1 an option?

That would be a BAD route with this player

 

[thunderpimp91]

In theory you could, but I would be somewhat shocked if you could get someone to give up a #1 pick for him. Even if he does explode for a 80 catch 1300 yard type of season I still imagine teams would look at him and ask if he can do that without a #1 like Lamb on the field. Tyreek Hill, AJ Brown those types that did get moved for #1 picks had already shown they can succeed while being the top guys in an offense. Given that and the fact that he will require a new team to give him a top WR contract as well Id bet Pickens ceiling for a trade would be similar to what Pittsburgh sent for DK this year which was a pick in the 50s?

 

[Syron]

So we complain that the front office doesn't make any moves...and before the guy even plays a down, we ask about trading him? Got it.

 

[Siroky]

That would be a BAD route with this player

Why would you say that? If “ with this player “ you mean that he will be hard to deal with, wouldn’t trading him be preferable to resigning him. I’m not stating my preference, I’m asking about the best possible options

 

[Siroky]

So we complain that the front office doesn't make any moves...and before the guy even plays a down, we ask about trading him? Got it.

Someone already answered this in another thread....

Yes.

Didn’t read it!! Thus my creating a post for my question. I’m still learning this forum,

 

[Siroky]

I don't understand why are you looking to trade him? If he plays well, he isn't going anywhere. The Cowboys wouldn't make this trade if they thought he was just a rental. Pickens has the year to show his worth, if the Cowboys don't want to move forward after the season, they just take a comp pick back.

Well the prevailing opinion I kept hearing yesterday was this was a one year rental with the max possibility of a 3rd comp pick in return for letting him walk. I’m simply asking-suggesting that trading for more draft value could be an option. An option I didn’t hear anyone talk about all day yesterday

 

[Chasing6]

Sounds like he was off a lot of teams' draft boards and hasn't really done much to lessen those concerns while in the league. The interest in free agency maybe wont be as hot as one would expect for someone of his talent level. He may be a guy who will always have to accept shorter term prove-it deals. But who knows, he's got one of the top agents, and all it takes is one team to really love the player...

Well it was not very hot for him to be traded. So his agent already knows what the demand is going to look like.

 

[Siroky]

Well it was not very hot for him to be traded. So his agent already knows what the demand is going to look like.

I believe this is his one year prove it year. That seems to both he and his agents opinion! That’s why they didn’t ask nor were offered an extension. If he fails then there wouldn’t be demand. But if on a contract year he plays and acts like it’s a contract year ( which happens often) then I think there will be demand.