The Dallas Cowboys just pummeled the Philadelphia Eagles 38-21 on Monday Night Football, and suddenly, the NFC East picture looks wild. But just as the Cowboys start to find their stride, ESPN analyst Ben Solak dropped a trade idea that would be an absolute disaster for Dallas, basically admitting their 2026 contention odds are over way too early.
This Is How You Self-Sabotage a Season
Here is the wild proposition Solak floated: send a 2027 third-round pick and a 2028 conditional fifth-round pick to the Cowboys for George Pickens. Seriously? After that massive win against the Eagles, moving to 3-4 on the season and eyeing a real run at the NFC East title, this is the plan? The New York Giants are sitting at 4-2-1 and banged up, meaning the division lead is absolutely within reach for Dallas if they make up some ground. Trading a player of Pickens’ caliber for such a meager return right when they’re hitting their stride is mind-boggling. They just invested in the 2026 season by trading for Joey Porter Jr., so why would they pull the rug out from under themselves now?
Pickens Is Crucial For Any Playoff Push
Sure, Pickens has an uncertain future, hitting free agency after this season. And yeah, if the Cowboys totally fall apart in Week 8 and Week 9, maybe you could *start* to justify a move. But the source is clear: if they win even one of those games, Pickens absolutely shouldn’t go anywhere. CeeDee Lamb is a superstar, no doubt the unquestioned No. 1 receiver, and Ryan Fournoy is a solid No. 3. But with Pickens in the mix, that Dallas offense becomes incredibly tough to stop, especially if Javonte Williams and the ground game get going like they did in Week 7. Pickens could be a massive part of any November-December surge the Cowboys might put together. Solak’s idea might be great for the Chiefs, who have a big wide receiver need, but for Dallas, it’s a horrible mistake that would be impossible to justify to the fan base.
The Cowboys have games against the Arizona Cardinals and Indianapolis Colts coming up before the trade deadline. If they handle business, they should be sitting at 5-4, clear buyers, not sellers. Trading Pickens now would signal they’re giving up on a season that’s just starting to get interesting, and that’s a move no contender should ever make.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by The Sporting News.
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