There's no doubt that the Dallas Cowboys should want George Pickens back. He developed a strong chemistry with Dak Prescott, got along with CeeDee Lamb, and posted career highs all over the board (93 receptions on 137 targets for 1,429 yards and nine touchdowns).
Unfortunately, it takes much more than that to finalize a deal. Pickens is set to demand a massive pay raise, and the Cowboys have plenty of money committed already. In fact, Spotrac already has Dallas as being more than $31.5 million over next year's salary cap.
More than that, his agent, David Mulugheta, wasn't on speaking terms with owner/general manager Jerry Jones after the Micah Parsons saga, so this could be another long saga.
Last, but definitely not least, Pickens has a history of temper tantrums, and he was missing in action in big moments last season. With that in mind, a divorce could be on the table, which would leave the Cowboys with a WR2-sized hole on their roster.
With that in mind, here are three free-agent WRs the Cowboys could target if Pickens is destined to leave the Lone Star State.
3 WRs Cowboys Must Target if George Pickens Doesn't Re-Sign
1. Jauan Jennings
Jauan Jennings' production has been stellar for the San Francisco 49ers this season. By the time the dust settled, Jennings finished the regular season with 55 catches for 643 receiving yards and nine touchdowns in 15 games. When healthy, he stepped up for Ricky Pearsall and Brandon Aiyuk, posting big numbers with both Mac Jones and Brock Purdy, and acting as a professional after not getting a contract extension with the Niners.
The Niners didn't give him the type of deal he was looking for, but they also refused to trade him. Even so, all things considered, it's hard to believe he will be interested in returning next season. As such, he might want to go from one offensive guru to the next one in head coach Brian Schottenheimer.
Jennings is a physical player who can overpower his opposition and come down with contested catches. He's great in short and intermediate routes, and while he's not a big-play specialist, he's extremely reliable in third-down situations.
2. Rashid Shaheed
Rashid Shaheed thrived in the first half of the season, but his production dived into his trade from the New Orleans Saints to the Seattle Seahawks. Now, with offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak most likely gone, he'd also want to test the free-agency waters after posting a 59-687-2 line between his two teams.
Shaheed is one of the most underrated speedsters in the game. He can leave defenders in the dust with his acceleration and speed, and he'd give Dak Prescott a true big-play specialist to sling the football down the field.
More importantly, Shaheed might not need a big contract to join the Cowboys. He's not a big-profile guy by any means, and he could probably be in the mix for this team, even if they also decided to keep George Pickens.
3. Romeo Doubs
Romeo Doubs has shown the potential to be a true WR1, tallying 55-724-6 with the Green Bay Packers this season. Unfortunately, the market may not feel the same way, which is why his chances of leading his own team might be slim. As such, he can settle for the second-best thing, which is being the Robin to CeeDee Lamb's Batman.
Doubs struggled with drops earlier in his career, but he only dropped three passes this season. He excelled at both short and long-yardage plays and became Jordan Love's most reliable target in third and fourth-down situations after Tucker Kraft's injury.
Doubs also had a run-in with the team regarding his role and future in the past. There might be no love lost between him and the Packers, and while he will probably want a big-money deal, he might have to settle for a lesser, short-term type of deal. He's the ultimate low-risk/high-reward pickup.