Novig prices
Cowboys face George Pickens trade calls at 3-5, but Dallas shows no sign of selling
CBS Sports names five teams that could chase George Pickens before the Nov. 10 deadline, but reports say the 3-5 Cowboys are not shopping him.
The blown 14-point lead against Arizona did more than drop the Dallas Cowboys to 3-5. It started a public argument about George Pickens, and the trade deadline is Nov. 10, two days after Dallas plays at Indianapolis.
CBS Sports writer Garrett Podell argued this week that Dallas should at least listen to offers. In the 33-30 loss, Pickens drew four targets and caught two passes for 48 yards, while CeeDee Lamb was targeted 11 times. Podell's case goes beyond one game. Pickens is playing on the franchise tag and will want a contract near the top of the receiver market. Cornerback Joey Porter Jr. is also due to become a free agent, and Dallas has already spent draft picks to bring in Porter and Quinnen Williams. Podell named five possible buyers: San Francisco (6-1), Buffalo (6-1), Minnesota (6-1), Kansas City (5-2) and Las Vegas (4-4). He rated the 49ers as the best fit because of their injuries at receiver and the third-most cap space in the league.
The Cowboys do not appear to be selling. The Fort Worth Star-Telegram's Nick Harris reported that, according to multiple sources, Dallas has never tried to trade Pickens and has not changed course before the deadline. Cowboys on SI relayed Harris' report and also noted that NFL Network's Ian Rapoport said nothing was happening on a Pickens deal. The locker room has backed him too. In a follow-up from CBS Sports, Lamb credited Pickens for his own fast start, and Dak Prescott dismissed the idea that Pickens should be traded: "People say a lot of things I don't believe, so I'm not listening to that one, either."
His role is still the open question. Pickens has 533 receiving yards, but his workload has dropped since Brian Schottenheimer criticized his run blocking after the loss at Green Bay. Over the last two games, No. 3 receiver Ryan Flournoy has played more snaps than Pickens and drawn nearly as many targets. The team has pointed to shoulder and hamstring problems, and Pickens goes into Week 9 listed with only the hamstring.
What it means for Indianapolis
Dallas has lost three of its last four games. The season's numbers are more mixed than the record. The Cowboys have scored 219 points and allowed 213, and four of their five losses came by eight points or fewer. They are 2-2 on the road, with wins at Philadelphia and Houston, and 1-3 at home. The offense has scored 30 or more points in five of eight games, so how Pickens is used on Sunday will get as much attention as the result.
The Cowboys are favored on the board. Novig has Dallas at -199 on the moneyline and -4.5 on the spread at -102. The best spread price on Dallas is at theScore Bet, -4 at -110. The best Colts moneyline is +197 at Polymarket, just ahead of Novig's +194. The total is 51.5 at Novig and 52 at Pinnacle. Across the 12 venues, sportsbook hold on the moneyline runs from 3.2% to 4.9%, so the prices are close together.
The following week brings in San Francisco, the team CBS ranked first among possible Pickens buyers. The 49ers are favored at -199 on Novig for that game, and the best Dallas moneyline is +176 at FanDuel. If Dallas loses in Indianapolis, it would be 3-6 with only Tuesday's deadline left to decide on Pickens. More on the season is on the Cowboys team page.