What happened: Dak Prescott dismissed speculation Thursday that the Dallas Cowboys could trade wide receiver George Pickens. Addressing outside chatter ahead of the deadline, Prescott praised Pickens as a dedicated teammate and affirmed he ignores trade talk.

Why it matters: Dallas relies on George Pickens as a vital perimeter target for an offense working to rebound from a 33-30 loss to the Arizona Cardinals. Retaining Pickens preserves continuity for Prescott, who has shouldered a heavy passing workload through eight games. Parting with a top target would significantly diminish the Cowboys' offensive options during the second half of the season.

What to watch: The NFL trade deadline closes Tuesday, Nov. 10 at 4 p.m. ET. Pickens is questionable for Week 9 after being limited in practice with a hamstring injury.