The Dallas Cowboys need to figure out what to do with George Pickens this offseason. On one hand, he closed out the year on a negative note, and there are major red flags about his character and antics.
On the other hand, he was the team's best pass catcher last season, and he hasn't even reached his prime. That's why other teams will likely make contact with Pickens and his representation during the offseason. And given their salary cap situation and lack of talent at wide receiver, the Denver Broncos might be the Cowboys' primary competition for his services.
The Denver Broncos Could Go Toe-to-Toe for George Pickens
The Broncos rolled into the AFC Championship Game with Courtland Sutton, Marvin Mims, Lil'Jordan Humphrey, and Elijah Moore at wide receiver. Sutton is a star, but they clearly don't have much talent besides him.
Denver is projected to have over $35 million in available cap space, so they can afford to make Pickens the type of offer he's looking for. Moreover, watching head coach Sean Payton fire offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi after the AFC Championship Game proves that the Broncos aren't messing around. It's Super Bowl or bust for them, and they won't leave a stone unturned in their pursuit of the Vince Lombardi trophy.
Of course, that puts Jerry Jones' team in a tough spot. They have three defensive tackles making $20 million a year after trading for Kenny Clark and Quinnen Williams, and the Cowboys still need to figure out how to clear some cap space.
They can always franchise tag Pickens. That being said, it's hard to believe he'll appreciate that move, and the last thing they want to do is get on his bad side. He comes with plenty of baggage, and it wouldn't be shocking to see him threaten to hold out until he gets the contract he wants. Even worse, he may try to force his way out of Dallas with a trade.
We can't ignore the fact that David Mulugheta represents Pickens. Things got messy between the agent and Jones during Micah Parsons' contract negotiations, so there could still be bad blood there.
Pickens' talent and physical tools are impossible to deny. His Pro Football Focus grade (85.9) was the 10th-highest among wide receivers, and he posted career bests all across the board. Pickens finished the season with 93 catches on 137 targets for 1,429 yards and nine touchdowns.
Will that be enough for the Cowboys to break the bank for him? We shall see.