BTB Monday Discussion: Are you happy with the George Pickens tag situ… — and more

The Dallas Cowboys chose to place the franchise tag on wide receiver George Pickens last Friday and it was something that just about everybody was expecting.

It happening in an official capacity was noteworthy though and sets up the next part of negotiations between the team and player. Dallas placed the non-exclusive tag on Pickens which means that he is free to negotiate with another team. Should another team offer Pickens a deal then the Cowboys have the right of first refusal, and if they choose to decline it the offering team would owe them a pair of first-round picks.

This whole process allows Pickens to test and gauge the market and provides an important point of protection for the Cowboys. It feels pretty win-win all the way around, but we are curious to hear what the rest of the class thinks.

Are you happy with how this has unfolded? Is there something you wish was different? Why?

Let us know what you think in the comments down below.

The story of the season for the New Orleans Saints was rookie quarterback Tyler Shough’s emergence as the starting quarterback throughout the latter half of the year.

Excitement abounds in the Crescent City about the potential long-term head coach-quarterback partnership that the fanbase has long sought after since the departures of Drew Brees and Sean Payton, and which it may have found in Kellen Moore and Shough.

Moore, who drafted Shough a year ago in the second round of his first draft as Saints head coach, was asked by Rich Eisen of NFL Network recently about what stood out about the 26-year-old as the team went through the pre-draft process.

“His willingness to do everything through this whole process,” said Moore from the NFL Combine. “He did everything at the combine, we had coaches go work him out, he came down to New Orleans… through the whole process, we just kept having these interactions with him, and he’s real, he’s authentic, a phenomenal person, phenomenal player.”

The head coach has been full of praise for Shough, who started the final nine games of the campaign for the black and gold.

The rookie posted a 5-4 record, including a 4-0 month of December with multiple 300-yard games while working with a depleted roster.

What do you make of Moore’s comments? What excites you most about the prospect of Shough’s sophomore season? Let us know in the comments!

The Houston TExans and Detroit Lions have agreed to a trade involving David Montgomery. Here's why the two sides decided to pull off this deal.

Why Lions and Texans agreed to trade for running back David Montgomery originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The Detroit Lions and Houston Texans have reportedly agreed to a trade.

According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, the Lions are sending running back David Montgomery to the Texans in exchange for a fifth-round pick.

"Trade: Lions are sending RB David Montgomery to the Texans for a 5th-round pick, per sources," Schefter reported.

Montgomery was widely viewed as a trade candidate going into the offseason, and now a trade has come to fruition.

Why Lions, Texans trade happened

A recent report suggested Montgomery wanted out of Detroit.

Montgomery saw his role decrease behind Jahmyr Gibbs last season and was clearly not thrilled with that arrangement, which led to general manager Brad Holmes admitting that Montgomery could get moved in 2026.

"Those are discussions that we're going to have a lot more in depth, in terms of, like, what is the best plan for him going forward? Is it somewhere else, or whatever the case be?" Holmes said.

As for the Texans, they are almost certainly going to cut veteran Joe Mixon, who missed all of last season with a foot injury.

Houston needed a veteran starter at the top of the depth chart to complement Woody Marks and Jawhar Jordan. Montgomery checks that box.

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