Ever since the Dallas Cowboys came out of free agency and the 2025 NFL Draft without addressing their wide receiver needs, the fanbase has been desperately waiting for their next move. On Wednesday, Jerry Jones finally gave the fans what they were looking for, trading for the Pittsburgh Steelers' mercurial star George Pickens.
This fills arguably the biggest hole on the Cowboys roster ahead of the training camp. Dallas didn't have a reliable WR besides CeeDee Lamb, raising questions about the viability of their offense under new head coach Brian Schottenheimer and offensive coordinator Klayton Adams.
Now that Pickens is in Dallas, the Cowboys can focus on the next order of business. That will be retaining the extension-eligible key contributors to make sure the core of this team remains intact for a long time.
Cowboys Should Extend Jake Ferguson & DaRon Bland Immediately After the George Pickens Trade
While Micah Parsons' contract extension understandably gets the lion's share of attention, the Cowboys have multiple players from the 2022 draft class up for an extension. Pro Bowl guard Tyler Smith has his fifth-year option for the 2026 season, but tight end Jake Ferguson and cornerback DaRon Bland are entering the final years of their rookie deals. The Cowboys would be wise to sign them to long-term extensions this offseason.
One benefit to signing Bland and Ferguson now is that the Cowboys may be able to get a discount on their new deals. Both players had down campaigns in 2024 after breaking out in a big way in their second seasons in the NFL. Ferguson failed to score a touchdown, and Bland didn't record a single interception after leading the league in that category a season ago.
Going back to their previous forms in 2025 would increase the price tag in extension negotiations for both playmakers. Taking care of them before the season would not only keep two key players in Dallas long-term, but it would also send the right message to the team.