The biggest storyline surrounding the Dallas Cowboys heading into the 2026 NFL Draft is George Pickens’s contract situation. The wide receiver has been demanding an extension since October, but owner Jerry Jones seemingly put the situation on the back burner. Now, some bold claims are being made as to what the Cowboys should do with the star.
T.J. Houshmandzadeh Says Cowboys Should Replace George Pickens With Jordyn Tyson
Pickens has proven to be a valuable cog in head coach Brian Schottenheimer’s offense, albeit in a complementary role behind CeeDee Lamb. Given the star wideout’s contract situation, however, there could be a very affordable exit strategy with the draft taking place this weekend.
Former Pro Bowler T.J. Houshmandzadeh, during an appearance on “Speakeasy,” gave a blunt take on the situation and how the Cowboys could capitalize on the draft to deal with Pickens’s situation.
“If I’m the Cowboys, you trade George Pickens for a second-round pick and draft Jordyn Tyson,” Houshmandzadeh said. “Because you don’t want George Pickens to contaminate the locker room — you don’t want that.”
Le’Veon Bell’s 2018 holdout with the Pittsburgh Steelers created a lot of friction in the team. While Bell sat out the entire season due to a franchise-tag dispute, backup players were forced into action.
To avoid a similar dilemma, Houshmandzadeh suggested Dallas trade Pickens for draft capital and try to get Tyson at 12.
“Jordyn Tyson, if he can stay healthy… he’s quick, he’s got some real good size to him, he’s fast — it’s just his health,” he said. “But he can really play. And at the 12th pick, I believe that’s what the Cowboys have, I believe he’ll be there. You gave up a third for GP. Give him up for a second.”
Tyson spent four years in college, the first of which with Colorado. He then transferred to Arizona State, where he became a full-time starter. He exploded onto the scene in 2024, recording 75 catches for 1,101 yards and 10 touchdowns, as the Sun Devils made it all the way to the Peach Bowl.
A hamstring injury prevented him from replicating that success in 2025. Suffering the injury in October, Tyson finished the campaign with 61 receptions for 711 yards and 8 scores — leaving him with 23 touchdowns from scrimmage in college in 33 games. According to PFSN’s CFB WR Impact Metric, Tyson finished the season with an impact score of 81.2, ranking 23rd at his position in college football.
If he could stay healthy, he could very well be the ideal replacement for an expensive Pickens. Lamb is already the WR1, which would leave Tyson not only with a smaller workload but also time to properly develop in the pros.
With the draft starting today, it remains to be seen what route Jones takes when he’s on the clock.
