Over the past couple of weeks, the Dallas Cowboys have been linked to multiple mock trades up the board from the 12th overall pick. Meanwhile, Cleveland Browns GM Andrew Berry essentially confirmed to reporters last week that he would consider trading down from No. 6 for the right deal.
Speculation has naturally tied both teams for days now. However, while most assume this trade would revolve solely around draft picks, these teams could get much more creative.
The Browns need a bona fide wide receiver, and the Cowboys may not be able to keep one of theirs in town. As such, it wouldn't be far-fetched for the Browns to inquire about George Pickens in a potential package for the No. 6 overall pick.
The Browns could put real pressure on the Cowboys with a bold George Pickens trade idea
The Cowboys placed a non-exclusive franchise tag on Pickens to keep him in Arlington. That said, it's hard to believe that he'll agree to sign what's essentially a one-year, $27.8 million deal with no long-term commitment, especially after Jaxon Smith-Njigba's recent mega extension with the Seattle Seahawks. Cowboys owner Jerry Jones is already paying nearly $100 million to Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb, and adding another $30 million-plus-per-year wideout would severely hurt his ability to improve the defense.
Moreover, Pickens and Micah Parsons are both represented by David Mulugheta. Negotiations turned sour last season before Dallas traded Parsons, and Jones already "jokingly" said that Pickens should ditch his agent.
On the other side of the equation, we find Andrew Berry, who has already acquired two Pro Bowl-caliber wide receivers in his tenure with the Browns, albeit with different degrees of success. Pickens is still young, just entering his prime, and the Browns have financial flexibility in future seasons to make a long-term deal work.
The Browns could still find a left tackle at pick Nos. 12 or 24. They would already address their huge need for a wide receiver, so that would put them in a position to get creative, either by taking the best player available, trading up, or trading down again. They could even try to acquire another first-round pick for the promising 2027 draft class, or double down at wide receiver later in the draft.
Of course, Pickens comes with some baggage, and he may not love the idea of playing in Cleveland. That said, it might be either that or engaging in a long negotiation with the Cowboys that includes missing the start of training camp. More than that, he'd get to reunite with coach Todd Monken, who was his offensive coordinator at Georgia.
The Cowboys have until July 15 to agree to a long-term deal with Pickens, so technically, they shouldn't be in a rush to make a move. Still, if they reach out to Berry to inquire about the No. 6 overall pick, Cleveland's GM should at least float this possibility and proceed from there.