Speculation has grown in recent weeks regarding the potential trade of Dallas Cowboys wide receiver George Pickens. The 25-year-old is currently playing under the franchise tag for the 2026 season, and the league's trade deadline is set for November 10. While team officials have not made a final decision, the voices of two key offensive stars suggest that Pickens may stay with the franchise.
If the choice were left solely to quarterback Dak Prescott and wide receiver CeeDee Lamb, Pickens would not be traded. Both players have indicated that they would prefer to keep him and extend his contract when he becomes eligible in the 2027 offseason. Prescott addressed the rumors on Thursday, stating that he does not listen to much of what people say about the team's roster moves.
"People say a lot of things I don't believe, so I'm not listening to that one, either," Prescott said when asked about the chatter surrounding Pickens' potential departure.
CeeDee Lamb, who is considered Pickens' closest friend on the team, credited the wideout for his own strong start to the 2026 campaign. Lamb currently ranks third in the league with 60 catches and 709 receiving yards. He is also tied for second in receiving touchdowns with six. Lamb noted that Pickens' high-profile performance in the previous season, which included 1,429 receiving yards, helped expose opposing defenses and create opportunities for him.
"I don't know why that's a thing," Lamb said of the trade discussions. "C'mon man. Everything that I have been able to accomplish has been because of him and what he's done the year before. Vice versa with everything that I've accomplished the year prior to that. He exposed them [opposing defenses]. Just kind of taking what the defense is giving us, and I feel like that goes hand in hand with why I'm able to do what I'm doing at a great pace."
The trade rumors gained traction after head coach Brian Schottenheimer publicly criticized Pickens following a 23-13 road loss to the Green Bay Packers. That game saw the Cowboys produce a season-low 48 rushing yards. Since those remarks, Pickens' role on the field has shifted significantly. From Week 7 onward, Lamb has led the team in offensive snaps with 106. In the last two games, third-string wide receiver Ryan Flournoy has recorded 98 offensive snaps, which is 19 more than Pickens' 79.
Target distributions have also changed over the last few weeks. Lamb has received 23 targets, while Pickens has 10. This is only two more than the eight targets Flournoy has seen. The team has attributed some of these changes to Pickens dealing with a shoulder and hamstring injury. Entering Week 9 against the Indianapolis Colts, Pickens is listed with only a hamstring issue.
Prescott maintained that Pickens has been a great teammate despite the reduced playing time. He emphasized that Pickens does whatever is asked of him, whether it is blocking or running a route to move a defender. "He believes in just doing the right thing, and the ball will come his way at times. And so, that's not on George," Prescott explained.
Lamb is working to keep Pickens focused and ready for when his opportunities arise. He advised his teammate to use the recent situation as fuel rather than letting it affect his mindset. "Just when his time comes, I know that he is going to be ready," Lamb said. "You have to move on, be grown about the situation, come to practice ready to work again and have that same mentality that you had before the game."
To help Pickens find his rhythm in the second half of the season, Prescott suggested that the coaching staff could feature him more early in games. "I think if anything is going to really come on this later end of the week and just how we sequence up the starters and the plays, the list that we put together of how we want to start this game," Prescott said. "I think from there, you'll see."
