Our recent WR2's before Pickens

[Chasing6]

Aubrey and Pickens will be extended. I’d like to keep Javonte and Clowney but once again losing them doesn’t scare me.

Me neither, but they will then need to be replaced.

 

[Chasing6]

What are you talking about. Prescott was restructured in March of 2025.

https://www.dallascowboys.com/news/...ens-of-millions-in-savings-to-2025-salary-cap

They need to restructure $50M just to cover the $29M in the hole, $10M in rookie contracts and some emergency money heading into the season.

 

[kramskoi]

They need to restructure $50M just to cover the $29M in the hole, $10M in rookie contracts and some emergency money heading into the season.

They have enough resources. It's a matter of will, smart choices and smart contracts. The problem with Jerry Jones is he refuses to really rebuild...preferring profitability over championships...which puts him off on really going all in. It's why he didn't want to pay Emmitt what he deserved in 1993. He was too concerned about the bottom line...failing to see that the hit he took up front to pay Smith would pay MUCH larger dividends on the back end with two more championships. Will this change for 2026? I have my doubts but this salary cap nonsense is like the boy who cried wolf. He should certainly be ignored at this point. He's been howlin' for thirty years now.

 

[cristglo]

The Cowboys can reportedly free up over 100 million with restructures and releases. It's not the crisis many think it is. Not even close. Concentrate on the next two years and settle up in 2028...when Prescott will either be extended again or cut.

Sometimes ya gotta hold their hand lol

 

[cristglo]

Respectfully, I think that’s the wrong way to look at this situation. Let’s look at this situation, bigger picture. If we pay Pickens enough money to extend him, it’s going to be north of $35m per year. Thats half a billion in contracts in a Qb and two WR.

That absolutely wrecks the salary cap and all but ensures we will not fix this defense. We were lucky to win as many games as we did last year WITH Pickens.

If you move on from Pickens you will probably see a dropoff from Pickens. That’s almost a certainty. However, I think Flournoy is a better receiver than Tolbert, Gallup, Cooks, et al. He’s not Pickens at this point in his career, but he could very easily be the next Pickens at some point, without that cap charge or the headache.

I would extend Flournoy an a team friendly deal now. It would cost pennies on the dollar to what Pickens would receive.

Use at least PART of the Pickens savings to add ONE legitimate free agent on defense. I don’t care where that is. Just get us one legit player at any level on defense.

We can add receivers to the team that will not be Pickens level. But you have a $60m per year QB who in theory should be able to elevate this team. He’s already got the tight end. He’s got most of the OL. Dak should be able to get it done on offense without Pickens.

I would not be against taking the best OT in this draft class if we get washed out on defense. I would also not be afraid to trade back from #12 if we get washed out on defense.

The second tier of this defensive class looks pretty strong from about 20-45ish. We can get a similar player at 35 and 20 from this group defensively.

For some reason I think if we get washed out on the true blue chip talent in the top 12 on defense you might see a DE picked out of Mesidore, Faulk or Thomas or Thienamen/Allen from #15-30ish.

there are not going to be to many teams that will be knocking down Pickens door Pickens wants to stay here and he has already stated that he could play on that tag of 28 mil to repair his imagine The jones and his agent want to get this thing started Dak wants him back he has good chemistry with he will get the 30 + Cd will get his they will free up enough cap space to sign players the Chris already put in a request for. ;}

 

[TheMarathonContinues]

I'm not a fan of losing Javonte. This team has shown that it can be a poor judge of cheap backs. It just got lucky with that one.

They’ve also shown they are a poor judge of defensive tackles too…..until
They got Clark and Quinnen.

And let’s be honest I don’t think signing Zeke a year ago was no one but Jerry’s idea.

Rico didn’t look terrible. Pollard was solid. Javonte was solid. Even Miles Sanders was productive for a backup last year.

I’d love Javonte back but i am just more concerned with losing other guys on that list.

 

[TheMarathonContinues]

Me neither, but they will then need to be replaced.

Then replace them lol.

 

[diamonddelts]

The Cowboys didn't make the playoffs with Pickens and he was not making much at all. With all the holes in this team now they will have to pay Pickens 30 million and how do you think that will help the roster building?
A good GM should be able to find a solid WR2 and not have to pay two WR's over 30 million a year plus a QB at 60 million.

Stopped reading at a good GM.

 

[SpaceCowboy99]

Another Pickens thread!!

If you can get him for 25 or less a year, go for it. If he's wanting 30-35, then trade him. There are perfectly capable, mid range receievers out there between 15-25. Find them, that's your job as a GM. Maximize value in every position with financial efficiency.

Mark my post, if we are paying 3 players out of 53, 1/3 - 1/2 the annual cap every year, we are not going to win a SB.

Dak - 60
Lamb - 35?
Pickens - 30-35
120-130 million a year on 3 players. Nonsense.

 

[Acceptablename]

Noah Brown, Brandon Cooks, and Jalen Tolbert, how did these options work out for us?? With all the Pickens talk so far, having a great #2 WR is a special thing. Do we want to go back to options as these, or an option like Pickens, I think we all know the answer, but is it best for this team??? Please give your thoughts

Pickens is big luxury

 

[kramskoi]

They’ve also shown they are a poor judge of defensive tackles too…..until
They got Clark and Quinnen.

And let’s be honest I don’t think signing Zeke a year ago was no one but Jerry’s idea.

Rico didn’t look terrible. Pollard was solid. Javonte was solid. Even Miles Sanders was productive for a backup last year.

I’d love Javonte back but i am just more concerned with losing other guys on that list.

I don't know what's there in the 4th round for RBs but Williams was more than solid. His pass-pro was above average and I was always worried when he wasn't in there on third downs. Schottenheimer just didn't feature them much in the passing game, which I think was largely a mistake. Not enough red-zone rushes either. Those two things need to change for 2026. Use every means to stay ahead of the chains and keep the offense moving.

The price for Williams goes up for sure. I think 6 to 8 mil/yr is what they might be looking at.

 

[JonesBoys]

Stopped reading at a good GM.

Yea there in lies the problem.

 

[kramskoi]

Another Pickens thread!!

If you can get him for 25 or less a year, go for it. If he's wanting 30-35, then trade him. There are perfectly capable, mid range receievers out there between 15-25. Find them, that's your job as a GM. Maximize value in every position with financial efficiency.

Mark my post, if we are paying 3 players out of 53, 1/3 - 1/2 the annual cap every year, we are not going to win a SB.

Dak - 60
Lamb - 35?
Pickens - 30-35
120-130 million a year on 3 players. Nonsense.

You are not actually paying them that after restructuring. Prescott's base salary after his 2025 restructuring was 2 million for the year. The Eagles pay Hurts 52 mil/yr, D. Smith 25 mil/yr and Brown 32 mil/yr. They have one of the most expensive offenses in football...if not the MOST expensive.

It's not nonsense when you understand that these restructures significantly reduce the yearly cap impact. Now it IS kicking the can down the road but the salary cap ceiling is increasing every year (~25 million for 2026), which mitigates the most harmful impacts of restructuring, which most teams do. The off-ramp for Prescott is 2028, when the Cowboys will either have to extend him to lower his cap hit...or cut him out right...to avoid serious cap damage in 2029.

 

[Coogiguy03]

Pickens is big luxury

Very true

 

[kramskoi]

They need to restructure $50M just to cover the $29M in the hole, $10M in rookie contracts and some emergency money heading into the season.

The cap ceiling is rising by about 25 million in 2026.

 

[Loso86]

So you dont want to pay a wr that you know can produce, but you want to you use a value pick on a wr lmao

Why would he be double and tripled if we draft a WR?

 

[J-man]

If he isn't here for what ever reason, they will get good draft compensation and in that case I would tend to think that they will draft a WR fairly early.

 

[J-man]

Pay Pickens.

Jauan Jennings is supposed to get 23 million a year

Alec Pierce 21 million

Romeo Dobbs 20 Million

30 million for Pickens is nothing really and the going rate right now. In a few years it will
Be a steal

I heard he wants more like 40 so...yikes. That would be a huge chunck of the cap on WRs.

 

[Verdict]

there are not going to be to many teams that will be knocking down Pickens door Pickens wants to stay here and he has already stated that he could play on that tag of 28 mil to repair his imagine The jones and his agent want to get this thing started Dak wants him back he has good chemistry with he will get the 30 + Cd will get his they will free up enough cap space to sign players the Chris already put in a request for. ;}

I can’t tell you exactly what the interest in Pickens would be, but I suspect every team in the league except maybe the Steelers would have some level of interest.

I have not heard that Pickens is willing to play on the tag. If that’s true please point me to where you heard that, if you recall.

The Cowboys want Pickens, and Pickens may well want to stay with the Cowboys but Pickens strikes me as a me first money guy. I would wager that either Jerry will vastly overpay Pickens or he is gone.

 

[cristglo]

I can’t tell you exactly what the interest in Pickens would be, but I suspect every team in the league except maybe the Steelers would have some level of interest.

I have not heard that Pickens is willing to play on the tag. If that’s true please point me to where you heard that, if you recall.

The Cowboys want Pickens, and Pickens may well want to stay with the Cowboys but Pickens strikes me as a me first money guy. I would wager that either Jerry will vastly overpay Pickens or he is gone.

Belt on Pickens:

-There's a chance that Pickens would be open to playing on the tag even if it would be a first for a David Muhlugeta client. Basically the whispers are Pickens still has to repair his rep around the league and if they tag him, it could see him sticking around on the tag.
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