Looking ahead to 2026, the Baltimore Ravens might need a significant move at the wide receiver position.
DeAndre Hopkins is set to be a free agent this coming offseason and the production from both he and Rashod Bateman has been insufficient in 2025, so Baltimore could use an upgrade to give Zay Flowers a better running mate.
That's why ESPN's Jeremy Fowler has floated the possibility that the Ravens make a play for Dallas Cowboys wide receiver George Pickens, who is a pending free agent.
"But if available, the Ravens could use some of their $40 million in 2026 cap space on Pickens, knowing John Harbaugh is good at managing big personalities," the ESPN insider wrote.
The problem with this scenario is that the Cowboys are likely to, at the very least, franchise tag Pickens, which would prevent him from going to free agency.
From there, the Cowboys could choose to extend Pickens, something owner Jerry Jones has said he's open to.
There are two other possibilities, though, one of which includes Pickens playing out the season on the franchise tag, which he is unlikely to be keen on doing. If so, Dallas could turn around and trade him.
There is no doubt Pickens is supremely talented and would provide the upgrade at the wide receiver position the Ravens would need, and Baltimore knows that first hand from Pickens' days with the Pittsburgh Steelers.
But they also know the head ache Pickens can bring with his erratic behavior that includes effort and lateness issues.
Those are things the Ravens will have to weigh before making a play for Pickens, who could garner a four-year, $124.1 million contract extension, according to Spotrac's projection.
Also bear in mind, the Ravens will likely have to give up draft capital for Pickens, as it's highly unlikely the Cowboys would just let him walk for nothing.
Adding Pickens via free agency or trade would be a risky move for Baltimore to make and the team would have to be absolutely sure he won't step out of line.
The truth is, there is no guarantee Pickens' behavior will get better, especially after his bank account has a lot more money in it. There is just too much that can go wrong here for the Ravens to bring Pickens in.
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