Overview
- Cowboys coach Brian Schottenheimer publicly told George Pickens he must help the run game by picking up safeties and blocking corners after practice criticism of effort and technique.
- Pickens was listed as a limited participant at Thursday practice with a nagging shoulder issue, but multiple reports say he is expected to play in the upcoming game.
- Pickens’ production has fallen from his 2025 breakout, with 33 catches for 428 yards and one touchdown through six games in 2026 compared with 93 catches for 1,429 yards and nine touchdowns last year.
- Pro Football Focus ranks Pickens near the bottom as a run blocker (No. 111 of 115), and the Cowboys’ weak rushing totals have been cited by coaches and analysts as reducing the team’s deep‑play opportunities.
- With Pickens playing on a one‑year franchise tag worth about $27.3 million and the Nov. 10 trade deadline approaching, Dallas must weigh short‑term help for the roster against recouping assets if interest from teams like the Rams materializes.