MMQB: The Cowboys shouldn't re-sign Pickens

[blueblood70]

Last I saw he was second in the league in receiving yards….he had two bad games…..

What’s funny is if we did what they said they’d call us a laughing stock and say how stupid we are for not signing him.

This has nothing to do with the last two games this is a business decision they have to weigh it really hard about what you can get for him on the franchise tag and more draft picks versus what he's going to demand in salary you have to entertain a trade even if that's not what you want to do you try to keep them but you also have to look at what's best for the team i'm sorry but when we needed him the most those were his two bad games when we needed a dynamic duo to step up and all the bad things happen in the game when you needed to score 40 they couldn't..

It's not all on George Pickens but it shows you you need more than just two great wide receivers you need a better defense you need better tackles you need a lot of better things that you can use that money in those draft picks that you can get for trading him that is what you must entertain this can't be a fan based decision this has to be about what's best for the team and they have a tough decision ahead...

 

[nhcowboyfan]

If we make decisions based on one game we will have chaos.

Having said that, tag him and see if he can be traded. Hopefully over the next 3 weeks he lights it up again increasing his value in a trade. I would love to get a 1 or 2 for him or at least get a 2 and a 3 back.

What about the other games before that?

George Pickens Stats after 14 games

1,212 yards (3rd overall in NFL)
81 receptions (8th overall in NFL)
8 touchdowns (7th overall in NFL)

Many of you need to stop being prisoners of the moment. Let go of your recency bias and look at the big picture.

Nobody is questioning his talent. The Steelers didn't part ways with him because he sucked. His concerns are centered around attitude and effort. As MC correctly points out, he will check out once he gets the big money grab.
I say let him walk and take the comp pick. I would only franchise tag him with the intent to trade him.

 

[diamonddelts]

Dak was on a rookie contract for multiple years. Where was the great defense and roster depth at that time? Stop falling for the okie doke. Getting rid of great players does not make the team better.

And stockpiling picks for the worst GM in football to whiff on does nothing in the long run.

 

[NoLuv4Jerry]

I said it in another thread.....if a non-playoff team with 30 years of futility cannot figure out how to harness/leverage the talent of George Pickens....then Pickens is not the problem....the front office, coaching staff, culture etc....is the REAL problem!!!!

 

[gtb1943]

see what he does now that the team is eliminated

then make a choice between extension, tag him, or tag and trade

at this moment an extension would be highly questionable
tag is not often a very good thing to do bu when you have a player you have doubts about you do NOT extend him

 

[gtb1943]

I said it in another thread.....if a non-playoff team with 30 years of futility cannot figure out how to harness/leverage the talent of George Pickens....then Pickens is not the problem....the front office, coaching staff, culture etc....is the REAL problem!!!!

Pickens is a symptom of the problem but you need to treat symptoms as well

 

[blueblood70]

I said it in another thread.....if a non-playoff team with 30 years of futility cannot figure out how to harness/leverage the talent of George Pickens....then Pickens is not the problem....the front office, coaching staff, culture etc....is the REAL problem!!!!

That's hilarious because Pittsburgh gave him away for a 3rd as great as he has in talent you're you're saying that this is all the Cowboys fall it's all the Eagles fault This sounds a lot like when Terrell Owens was floating around the league and Antonio Brown and all that somehow you're missing the big picture first of all the Cowboys should try to keep him but if he's worth more draft picks and you could save over $30 million you have to at least entertain the idea but blaming the Cowboys for his last two games dude you are the problem not Jerry you're the problem because two teams are wrong somehow they're just missing how they use and coddle poor George Pickens look this has nothing to do with his last 2 games from where I've seen it I said this as soon as they made the trade...

No matter how great the guy played this year you can't overpay him we already have that guy as a WR1 making close to $40 million If he's reasonable and he wants to play for around 30 you try to keep him but if he's demanding and he tries to pull a Parsons with the same agent you franchise tag him you get as much as you can for him although you entertain matching some of those offers but if he has to walk this has nothing to do with the Cowboys...

The business decision but aside from these last two games this dude's had a career year here on this offense and somehow you're blaming them for the last two games no blame on Pickens he was horrible in the Lions game it was lazy loafing he didn't care he had no energy he did nothing positive and he had about 8 negative plays in that one game and that's on the Cowboys I didn't even rewatch the Vikings game to see why he was nonexistent but don't blame the Cowboys that's a ridiculous take as you hate the front office I understand I don't like Jerry but in this case you're flat out wrong absolutely wrong..

 

[RustyBourneHorse]

I think franchise tagging him might be the right move. It kicks the can down another year, but we have to be active in FA. We need LB, pass rush, and safety. Also, we might want a rt because Steele is not what we need there. So, Jerry has a lot of work to do. I think, if we keep Pickens and Williams, our offense is good enough (especially if we get a better rt that doesn't have to be a 1st round pick) to contend. Aubrey is good enough to contend. We need to get this defence better.

 

[TheMarathonContinues]

This has nothing to do with the last two games this is a business decision they have to weigh it really hard about what you can get for him on the franchise tag and more draft picks versus what he's going to demand in salary you have to entertain a trade even if that's not what you want to do you try to keep them but you also have to look at what's best for the team i'm sorry but when we needed him the most those were his two bad games when we needed a dynamic duo to step up and all the bad things happen in the game when you needed to score 40 they couldn't..

It's not all on George Pickens but it shows you you need more than just two great wide receivers you need a better defense you need better tackles you need a lot of better things that you can use that money in those draft picks that you can get for trading him that is what you must entertain this can't be a fan based decision this has to be about what's best for the team and they have a tough decision ahead...

I don’t care about future draft picks. This team keeps worrying about the future. You can’t have it both ways. You can’t worry about the future avg present.

 

[Majic]

What has changed in the last 3 weeks. The only thing I can think off his confirmation in the media (Rap,Schefter etc) that the Cowboys are prepared to franchise tag him. Perhaps he thinks he deserves better.

 

[blueblood70]

Nobody is questioning his talent. The Steelers didn't part ways with him because he sucked. His concerns are centered around attitude and effort. As MC correctly points out, he will check out once he gets the big money grab.
I say let him walk and take the comp pick. I would only franchise tag him with the intent to trade him.

I think people are taking this too far you guys are arguing over the last two games and why he may or may not stay here because of what he can or can't do or his personality and whatever it is I'm already cooper also was blamed for the same thing it happens also some of the other things the extracurriculars Terrell Owens blame for the same things they're all great players but this has nothing to do with the last two games the last 2 games all that shows us is the Cowboys are still not gonna be able to be great overpaying for a second wide receiver because they the last two games we needed that duo to be at its best george Pickens was nowhere to be seen i'm not blaming him but if that's the case for keeping him is like hey we might need to score 40 points well our red zone says it all I mean we literally are settling for field goals because nobody's getting open at least fast enough or consistent enough when we need to George the most He had his worst two games and I'm not blaming him for that i'm saying that should point out that you franchise tag a guy and you entertain trading him because he is not the missing piece we have too many holes on this team...


I think they should try to keep him for a reasonable contract something around T Higgins with a little money added to it but if he's seeking big starter money I'm taking the draft picks and moving on I will get another receiver in the draft with those assets I will elevate for now number 19 and let's see what Ryan can do in training camp and going into next season while the other guy's catching up that's where I sit I like George I hope we can keep him but anybody thinking the Cowboys are crazy for entertaining trading him are not looking at this through a team's eyes the organization the GM needs to make a team decision not what makes the fans happy..

 

[Hawkeye0202]

I think franchise tagging him might be the right move. It kicks the can down another year, but we have to be active in FA. We need LB, pass rush, and safety. Also, we might want a rt because Steele is not what we need there. So, Jerry has a lot of work to do. I think, if we keep Pickens and Williams, our offense is good enough (especially if we get a better rt that doesn't have to be a 1st round pick) to contend. Aubrey is good enough to contend. We need to get this defence better.

I agree....

 

[NoLuv4Jerry]

That's hilarious because Pittsburgh gave him away for a 3rd as great as he has in talent you're you're saying that this is all the Cowboys fall it's all the Eagles fault This sounds a lot like when Terrell Owens was floating around the league and Antonio Brown and all that somehow you're missing the big picture first of all the Cowboys should try to keep him but if he's worth more draft picks and you could save over $30 million you have to at least entertain the idea but blaming the Cowboys for his last two games dude you are the problem not Jerry you're the problem because two teams are wrong somehow they're just missing how they use and coddle poor George Pickens look this has nothing to do with his last 2 games from where I've seen it I said this as soon as they made the trade...

No matter how great the guy played this year you can't overpay him we already have that guy as a WR1 making close to $40 million If he's reasonable and he wants to play for around 30 you try to keep him but if he's demanding and he tries to pull a Parsons with the same agent you franchise tag him you get as much as you can for him although you entertain matching some of those offers but if he has to walk this has nothing to do with the Cowboys...

The business decision but aside from these last two games this dude's had a career year here on this offense and somehow you're blaming them for the last two games no blame on Pickens he was horrible in the Lions game it was lazy loafing he didn't care he had no energy he did nothing positive and he had about 8 negative plays in that one game and that's on the Cowboys I didn't even rewatch the Vikings game to see why he was nonexistent but don't blame the Cowboys that's a ridiculous take as you hate the front office I understand I don't like Jerry but in this case you're flat out wrong absolutely wrong..

I'm not focused on the last couple of games. I know he carried this offense when Cee Dee was out. I know the QB wants him. Instead of focusing on his "stats'...maybe look at the fact that even though he did not get numbers the last few weeks....he did not cause a distraction like AJ Brown. The right coaches and culture win with the Charles Haley's and Terrell Owens of the world.

This team is too devoid of talent to let a 24-year-old 12000 yard/10 TD WR walk for nothing.

 

[zrinkill]

Silly

He was our best WR during our "win streak"

 

[baltcowboy]

It’s simple with Pickens. Tag him. You either sign him to a long term team friendly deal or trade him to the highest bidder before the draft. By the way without Pickens we would be a 3 win team. The team sucks. Dak, CeeDee, Tyler Smith, Quinnen, and Pickens are the only blue chip players on our roster. Compare that to the top 8 NFC teams and you will see how far we are away from winning.

 

[Polkton31]

This has nothing to do with the last two games this is a business decision they have to weigh it really hard about what you can get for him on the franchise tag and more draft picks versus what he's going to demand in salary you have to entertain a trade even if that's not what you want to do you try to keep them but you also have to look at what's best for the team i'm sorry but when we needed him the most those were his two bad games when we needed a dynamic duo to step up and all the bad things happen in the game when you needed to score 40 they couldn't..

It's not all on George Pickens but it shows you you need more than just two great wide receivers you need a better defense you need better tackles you need a lot of better things that you can use that money in those draft picks that you can get for trading him that is what you must entertain this can't be a fan based decision this has to be about what's best for the team and they have a tough decision ahead...

This^^^^. In 93% of NFL games, 28 points are enough to win. Regardless of what some people think, Dak isn't good enough to carry this team week in and week out, and it doesn't matter who the receivers are. The only chance this team has to advance in the playoffs is to improve the defense. The problem is, this team is managed by an armchair GM. So, if the team gets rid of Pickens for draft picks, and uses those picks on the likes of Taco, Trysten Hill, Mazi, Jaylon, Schoonmaker, etc, then it's a waste of assets. Personally, I would rather have a proven NFL commodity than trust this GM to replace him in the draft.

 

[Rayman70]

It’s simple with Pickens. Tag him. You either sign him to a long term team friendly deal or trade him to the highest bidder before the draft. By the way without Pickens we would be a 3 win team. The team sucks. Dak, CeeDee, Tyler Smith, Quinnen, and Pickens are the only blue chip players on our roster. Compare that to the top 8 NFC teams and you will see how far we are away from winning.

Only draw back is it's a huge guaranteed cal hit immediately. Hinders team building. But a shorter 3 year deal maybe. To ease the cap number. I think we might just let him walk.

 

[blueblood70]

I think franchise tagging him might be the right move. It kicks the can down another year, but we have to be active in FA. We need LB, pass rush, and safety. Also, we might want a rt because Steele is not what we need there. So, Jerry has a lot of work to do. I think, if we keep Pickens and Williams, our offense is good enough (especially if we get a better rt that doesn't have to be a 1st round pick) to contend. Aubrey is good enough to contend. We need to get this defence better.

It doesn't kick the can down the road if we end up having him not sign the tag create what we can now label the Parsons drama with the same agent They may eventually sign it but how about that time where he refuses to sign it and now there's a holdout on the franchise tag then when you finally tag him you don't allow him to seek a trade you don't listen to offers and you make him play a year that he feels underpaid and under appreciated is that the George pick and you want on your team when we get the Pittsburgh Steeler George Pickens or worse is that how you want this to go down for 2026 after we just went through at Parsons?

I mean I'm all for trying to keep him but I think you should use the tag as a negotiating tool let him seek a trade let's see what his value is maybe the Cowboys can match an offer maybe the offer is so good you just have to let him go it's not like we've been winning big games this year with both these guys we are under five hundred and we couldn't score in the red zone against the Vikings where was George i'm not blaming George but the Lions we needed these two games in this dynamic duo did not get it done I realized the high scores I realized the bad defense the bad tackles and all the holes we have on our team and that should be why we should probably look to save $30 million or more and get multiple draft picks for George Pickens to use to further build our team..

 

[baltcowboy]

Only draw back is it's a huge guaranteed cal hit immediately. Hinders team building. But a shorter 3 year deal maybe. To ease the cap number. I think we might just let him walk.

The Joneses are not gonna let him walk for nothing. Every insider said the Cowboys will tag him.

 

[RustyBourneHorse]

It doesn't kick the can down the road if we end up having him not sign the tag create what we can now label the Parsons drama with the same agent They may eventually sign it but how about that time where he refuses to sign it and now there's a holdout on the franchise tag then when you finally tag him you don't allow him to seek a trade you don't listen to offers and you make him play a year that he feels underpaid and under appreciated is that the George pick and you want on your team when we get the Pittsburgh Steeler George Pickens or worse is that how you want this to go down for 2026 after we just went through at Parsons?

I mean I'm all for trying to keep him but I think you should use the tag as a negotiating tool let him seek a trade let's see what his value is maybe the Cowboys can match an offer maybe the offer is so good you just have to let him go it's not like we've been winning big games this year with both these guys we are under five hundred and we couldn't score in the red zone against the Vikings where was George i'm not blaming George but the Lions we needed these two games in this dynamic duo did not get it done I realized the high scores I realized the bad defense the bad tackles and all the holes we have on our team and that should be why we should probably look to save $30 million or more and get multiple draft picks for George Pickens to use to further build our team..

Id be fine also with extending him if the price isn't too bad. But I don't think a long term deal would be wise. I think a 3 year deal might be about right. Maybe we extend him to a 3 year deal and then tag Williams? That way, we keep our key offense players in tact, and then we should be able to make cap moves to try to get a pass rusher and/or a tackle in FA. If we can do that, then that opens up the ability to take Downs and Sonny Styles in round 1. If we do that, our team would be lethal.