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ESPN's Jeff Darlington connected the dots on why the Dallas Cowboys could draft a wide receiver in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft.
There isn’t much of a consensus on what the Dallas Cowboys will do with their pair of first-round picks in the 2026 NFL Draft. The team could stay at No. 12 and 20 overall, move slightly back with the second selection to acquire more picks or orchestrate a trade up. One popular narrative is Dallas making a major splash with a jump into the top 5.
But if there’s one thing most analysts agree upon, the Cowboys have to improve defensively.
Well, on draft eve, ESPN’s Jeff Darlington explained why it’s wrong to assume the Cowboys will use both first-round picks to improve defensively.
“I’m here reporting from The Star as the Cowboys prepare for the NFL Draft, where Jerry Jones acknowleges his team has more questions on defense than offense. But he points toward the 2020 NFL Draft, when a defense-needy Cowboys team drafted CeeDee Lamb with the 17th overall pick,” wrote Darlington on X.
I’m here reporting from The Star as the Cowboys prepare for the NFL Draft, where Jerry Jones acknowleges his team has more questions on defense than offense. But he points toward the 2020 NFL Draft, when a defense-needy Cowboys team drafted CeeDee Lamb with the 17th overall pick.
Jerry Jones’s comments came shortly before his son, Stephen, told reporters in the Cowboys pre-draft press conference the team will not negotiate a long-term deal with wide receiver George Pickens this offseason. That will force Pickens to play on the 1-year franchise tag tender.
Darlington connected all those dots while appearing on ESPN’s NFL Live on Wednesday afternoon.
“The question becomes, what do they do with George Pickens if, say they decide, to draft a wide receiver at 12? Do they trade him during this draft for a Day 2 pick? There’s so much on the here in Dallas,” said Darlington.
Suggesting the Cowboys could select a receiver in the first round seemed crazy throughout the 2026 NFL Draft process. Dallas is a team that finished near the bottom of the barrel in nearly every defensive category.
At receiver, the Cowboys have Pickens and CeeDee Lamb, assuming they sign the latter to a long-term deal. Dallas placed the franchise tag on Pickens this offseason to keep him in the fold for at least 2026.
But Pickens’s future in Dallas is not certain. There’s also great receiver prospects in the 2026 NFL Draft. ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. ranked three wideouts in his top 11 prospects on his 2026 big board.
The Cowboys could target a receiver at No. 12 with the plan to replace Pickens.
It’s also possible the receiver comments Wednesday were simply a smokescreen from the Cowboys to get other teams in the top 10 off the defensive prospects Dallas really wants to target.
Dealing Pickens appeared to be on the table early this offseason, but those rumors died down after the Cowboys placed the franchise tag on him.
That’s likely to change with long-term negotiations between Dallas and the receiver ending. Trade rumors will certainly ramp up around Pickens if the Cowboys take a wideout at No. 12.
Darlington suggested Pickens would be worth a second or third-rounder. But who might entertain acquiring Pickens for a Day 2 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft is unclear.
Stephen Jones said on 105.3 The Fan on April 14 that the team hadn’t “received trade calls” from other teams on Pickens.
The implication of that comment was trade interest for Pickens was non-existent. Will that change if the Cowboys shop him after drafting a receiver at No. 12?
It’s hard to say yes with any confidence. But the Cowboys could test that if they add a receiver in the first round Thursday night.
Dave Holcomb is a sports reporter covering the NFL and MLB for Heavy.com, with a focus on the Pittsburgh Steelers and a variety of other NFL teams. Originally from Pittsburgh, Holcomb has covered college and professional sports for outlets including FanSided, Rotowire and Yardbarker. More about Dave Holcomb
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