Anyone following the current saga of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (aka MCU) knows they have introduced the idea of “anchor beings,” individuals whose existence is crucial to the stability of their home universe. In the Dallas Cowboys universe, George Pickens may be Dallas’ “anchor being,” whose potential future with the team could determine how the team approaches the trade deadline.
How so? Charles Robinson, senior reporter for Yahoo! Sports, was a guest on Shan & RJ Wednesday to talk about the Cowboys’ potential in trading for Maxx Crosby or any other star defensive player, for that matter. His answer was very forward-thinking.
Robinson said one person he spoke with mentioned a potential Pickens deal being the “driving” force behind Dallas’s actions at the deadline. Pickens has exceeded all expectations and proved in the absence of CeeDee Lamb that he could be a dominant No. 1 wide receiver. If Dallas wants to maximize their window now, in fear that his price has gotten astronomical, then maybe the Cowboys trade for a star defensive player looking for a new deal, and they allocate funding next year for them, knowing Pickens will most likely walk.
If the front office wants to retain the 24-year-old receiver as a key part of their revamped offense, they may decide not to pursue a top-tier defender. Trading for Trey Hendrickson, Maxx Crosby or Jeffrey Simmons might require reworking a new contract to get the deal across the finish line, similarly to Micah Parsons, who wouldn’t be traded unless the new team agreed to a historic contract extension.
The bottom line seems to be all about numbers. It’s not impossible to imagine a world where Dallas keeps a star defender acquired in a trade and Pickens for 2026, but the cap fit may be a little tight, as Robinson points out. Dallas might not even want to consider what that would do to their 2026 salary cap, so instead, they might focus on acquiring a player with an expiring contract who can contribute in the short term without compromising the budget reserved for re-signing Pickens.
Still, Jeremy Fowler’s reporting on the Cowboys’ internal discussions about their future with Pickens suggests neither party is in the mood for a contract extension now.
The Cowboys have had internal discussions about a possible extension for receiver George Pickens, to the point where they’ve been examining the rosters and cap situations of teams like Cincinnati, Miami and Philadelphia, who are all paying multiple high-end receivers. (The Cowboys already pay CeeDee Lamb $34 million per year.) I don’t think anything gets done on this until after the season, but Dallas has been happy with Pickens since acquiring him in an offseason trade with Pittsburgh, and it is at least considering what it would look like to keep Dak Prescott’s wide receiver tandem together.
Diana Russini, speaking on her Scoop City Podcast about her conversation with Jerry Jones at the Owner’s Meeting, seemed to insinuate that the Cowboys will certainly do their due diligence seeking a potential defense trade, but won’t feel pressed to make a deal if they feel good enough about the current state of the roster.
Dallas has been in rare form, more willing than ever to make trades. This started in the offseason when they acquired Pickens, Joe Milton, Kaiir Elam, Kenneth Murray, and Kenny Clark. Four of the five are key contributors on their respective sides of the ball. Making another one wouldn’t be out of left field, but it depends on who it’s for. Whatever the Cowboys decide to do in the coming weeks may be influenced by a pre-determined decision about the team’s commitment to their budding star receiver for the long haul.
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