The Dallas Cowboys might just have the most sought after free agent on the 2026 market. With the 2025 season now completely in the rearview mirror, 31 teams are focused on how they can snatch the title of Best Team away from the Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks. The mission includes finding the right free agents and draft picks, and is going to play out in earnest over the next three months.
All teams around the league are going to be watching how the Cowboys proceed with WR George Pickens, whom they acquired in a trade from the Pittsburgh Steelers, paired him with CeeDee Lamb to catch targets from Dak Prescott, and saw him blossom into an All-Pro receiver. If Dallas doesn't place the franchise tag on him, or if they do and end up shopping him in a trade, several teams would be eyeing him to anchor their receiving corps.
So much so, that Bleacher Report has named him the most sought after player on the market in their newest Top 50 free agent list. And in B/R tradition, they named the top teams who would pursue Pickens, selecting two franchises Cowboys Wire recently identified as potential tag-and-trade suitors: The Buffalo Bills and New England Patriots.
Contract Projection: Four Years, $125 Million
To be perfectly honest, Cowboys wide receiver George Pickens probably isn't going to reach the open market.
This year's tag value for wide receivers is projected to be just over $28 million. According to NFL Media's Ian Rapoport, the Cowboys plan to tag the 24-year-old but could consider trading him.
If Pickens does reach the open market, though, he should be coveted by virtually every team with the financial means to sign him.
With a nearly ideal blend of size (6'3", 200 lbs), speed, and physicality, he can stretch the field, turn short passes into big gains, and come down with contested catches.
Potential Suitors: Buffalo Bills, New England Patriots
The Bills have fired their head coach and promoted offensive coordinator Joe Brady to the top spot, somewhat similar to what the Cowboys did in 2025. QB Josh Allen is a perennial MVP competitor, but they are short on top-tier passing game weapons.
The Patriots just made the Super Bowl with 21-year old Drake Maye at QB, who barely lost the MVP vote. Their top receiver, Stefon Diggs, used to be the Bills' top guy, but he's facing serious legal issues this offseason and the team can easily escape his deal if they wanted to.
In speaking with Patriots Wire's managing editor Jordy McElroy, there was a bit of hesitation to the idea of trading picks for Pickens and signing him to a big deal.
It would be fun to see what Drake Maye could do with an elite playmaking wide receiver like George Pickens, but the cost isn't worth it. If they have the itch to make that kind of move, it might be smarter to check in with the Philadelphia Eagles on A.J. Brown's availability. The asking price for the three-time All-Pro receiver should be significantly less than what's being asked here.
Honestly, I don't think wide receiver is a pressing need for the team right now. Stefon Diggs has been solid as a No. 1 option, and Kayshon Boutte is an emerging talent at wide receiver. DeMario Douglas, Mack Hollins, Kyle Williams and Efton Chism III have all been serviceable. The primary focus for the Patriots in the offseason should be fortifying the offensive line and adding an elite pass-rusher.
This article originally appeared on Cowboys Wire: Bills, Patriots named top suitors for Cowboys WR George Pickens