Patrick Mahomes injury concern ends George Pickens trade idea for Chiefs

George Pickens was arguably the Dallas Cowboys’ top wide receiver last season. He has officially signed his franchise tag deal, but there is still uncertainty surrounding his offseason involvement, and many are wondering whether he will even report to The Star during the offseason program.

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In this week’s episode of “The Mina Kimes Show,” Mina Kimes and Bill Barnwell discussed the NFL Draft, including which teams improved the most and which still have major concerns. Kimes asked Barnwell whether, if he were Brett Veach, he would consider dealing a 2027 second-round pick to acquire Pickens.

“I would not, because I don’t know if Patrick Mahomes is actually gonna be healthy,” Barnwell said. “And if you’re already playing with one hand behind your back for a quarter of the year, for one year of George Pickens I would not do it.”

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The Chiefs recently acquired Justin Fields as a strong insurance option, but some believe giving up future premium draft capital for a one-year rental of Pickens doesn’t make sense if the team’s Super Bowl window is somewhat uncertain due to Mahomes’ injury. But if the Chiefs invested resources to bring in Fields so they could remain competitive without Mahomes, then why not also pursue Pickens to give Fields better weapons to help win early-season games.

As for Pickens, he is currently set to play the 2026 season with the Cowboys on his franchise tag, worth $27.3 million. He was originally drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the second round in 2022 before being traded by the Cowboys, who sent a third-round pick and a fifth-rounder to the Steelers in exchange for him and a sixth-round selection last offseason. He immediately made an impact, recording 93 receptions for 1,429 yards and nine touchdowns last year.

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• Why George Pickens situation in Dallas suddenly feels worth watching
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