The No. 88 jersey holds divine value on the Dallas Cowboys. It’s a number that’s been bestowed upon the greats: Drew Pearson, Michael Irvin, Dez Bryant and now CeeDee Lamb have all donned the double-eights. Aside from a hiccup named Antonio Bryant, it’s given the wearer near bulletproof status.
Since his coronation in 2020, Lamb has lived up the expectations of the 88 in almost every way. He’s a top 10 NFL receiver capable of playing across the line at all three receiver spots. He’s been a league leader in receiving yards and he's often served as the engine in the Cowboys’ offense.
But with the unmistakable presence of George Pickens, Lamb’s not the clearcut alpha so many of the previous 88’s always seemed to be. Pickens, two years Lamb’s younger, is routinely outshining his counterpart. Despite Lamb still being at the top of his game, it’s hard not to see Pickens as the superior talent. It's gotten to the point some fans are publicly requesting Dallas to keep Pickens rather than Lamb long-term.
Even when the Cowboys faced off against the LA Rams in join practices, it was Pickens whom media members and fans were noticing. And let me tell you something, it’s not nothing to stand out when greats like Davante Adams, Puka Nacua and Lamb are on the same field.
George Pickens doesn't care what the Rams added on defensepic.twitter.com/ZgXb21zxF5
— Underdog NFL (@UnderdogNFL) August 11, 2026
Operating on the franchise tag in 2026, Pickens is playing for a new contract this offseason. If he can repeat his performance from last year, and all indications are he can, he could conceivably reset the market next March.
The Cowboys have maintained open minds and possibly open wallets for the situation, but it’s hard to imagine fitting both Pickens and Lamb on the payroll if the former demands a deal that large. It’s possible, of course, given the malleability of the salary cap, but the Cowboys usually aren’t ones to stretch in matters such as these. It's why some think they need to pick their horse long-term.
DAK TO GEORGE PICKENS TOUCHDOWN
— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) September 21, 2025
One of the scariest duos in the NFL 👀pic.twitter.com/Y0v0uVvUJG
In keeping with the equestrian metaphor, this is admittedly a great example of putting the cart ahead of the horse; this is 2027’s problem to deal with and nothing worth worrying about today. Yet one can’t help but wonder if the Cowboys would be better served signing Pickens to a massive multiyear deal and testing the waters on what Lamb could fetch on the trade block.
To trade Lamb in 2027 the Cowboys would eat over $48 million in dead money, according to Over The Cap. As a 28-year-old receiver at the top of his game, he’d likely fetch a nifty return but the cost in dead money is almost indigestible. Cutting or trading him in 2028 would result in over $31M in dead money. That’s not ideal, but much more feasible than the 2027 option.
After the current season, Pickens would be tradable as well. Dallas could tag him again in 2027 and allow Pickens to find a trade partner willing to sign him long-term. That second option might be the easiest option for Dallas, even if it means trading off the better of two receivers.
The Cowboys can’t logically swap Lamb and Pickens’ contracts in 2027 because Lamb is too costly to lose. Even if Pickens outperforms Lamb in 2026, it’s hard to envision the Cowboys parting with No. 88 anytime soon. But that doesn't mean keeping both is impossible. Speaking to Yahoo Sports, Jerry Jones said, “I think it’s realistic” to fit Dak Prescott, Quinnen Williams, Lamb and Pickens under the cap long-term. Maybe we're looking at this incorrectly as an either/or and we need to set our sights a little higher?
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This article originally appeared on Cowboys Wire: Will Cowboys eventually have to decide between Pickens and $136M Lamb?