Coming off a crushing overtime loss to one of the worst teams in the NFL, it feels like the sky is falling for the 3-5 Dallas Cowboys, who have now lost three of their past four games. While team owner Jerry Jones envisioned his team competing for a postseason spot for the first time in three years, instead the Cowboys are in second place in the NFC East, and not in position to grab one of the NFC’s Wild Card slots either.

While some have wondered if the Cowboys could become trade deadline buyers, they have very limited draft capital, just three selections in the 2027 NFL Draft. In other words, they’ve already made their moves, such as their trade for Joey Porter Jr., but still, they’re on track to miss the postseason for the third year in a row. So, rather than be buyers, is it possible the Cowboys could pivot to being sellers?

ESPN Thinks George Pickens Could Demand Trade From Dallas Cowboys Before Next Tuesday

Boasting just a first-round pick from the Green Bay Packers, their own second-round pick, and the Pittsburgh Steelers’ fourth-round pick, for now, the Cowboys would be set to enter the offseason with few ways to improve the roster through the draft. Of course, there’s plenty of time between now and April to add more draft selections. But for now, they seem to be in talent-collection mode.

Will that mindset change before the Nov. 10 NFL trade deadline? They should be able to beat the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday, but if the Cowboys suffer yet another loss, would it surprise anyone if they started to sell off pieces of the roster, especially those on expiring contracts?

In Tuesday’s ESPN column from Ben Solak, the NFL analyst made the prediction that former Second-Team All-Pro receiver George Pickens will force his way out of Dallas before next Tuesday’s deadline.

“It would be out of character for Jones to move Pickens at this stage. But some things are so painfully obvious that I have to ignore the public PR and read between the lines. If Pickens and Dallas have no long-term future, why wait for the compensatory draft pick in 2028? Why go through all the necessary rigamarole to preserve that comp pick when they can get a guaranteed third-round pick in a trade now — and likely more! The Chiefs would do it. I’m calling my shot here: The Cowboys lose to the Colts in Week 9, and at 3-6, Pickens is frustrated enough that the Cowboys make a trade before next Tuesday.”

Ben Solak on George Pickens Trade

Trading Pickens would leave the Cowboys suddenly thin at the receiver position behind CeeDee Lamb, which is why they both feel like core pieces of Dallas’ scoring attack. Yet, the Cowboys have added star players at several positions in recent years, and those bills are coming due. Now, with the season potentially spiraling out of control, combined with a lack of future draft capital and a worrisome cap sheet, the Cowboys may feel like they have no choice but to consider a trade involving Pickens.