Regardless of whether a long-term extension is finalized, the Dallas Cowboys are preparing as if star wide receiver George Pickens will remain with the team in 2026. Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones confirmed it at the NFL Combine in Indianapolis on Monday.
“We want Pickens here,” said Stephen Jones. “We think the world of him. We love him. And I think he wants to be here.”
The Dallas Cowboys have until March 3 to determine whether to place the franchise tag on Pickens, though Jones mentioned they will finalize it soon. If they do go ahead with it, it would carry an estimated $28 million price tag. And while no negotiations have taken place so far, the franchise and Pickens’ representatives will meet in Indianapolis this week. As of now, the team seems to heavily lean on the franchise tag option, and it goes without saying that it is not a new scenario for them.
Between 2018 and 2023, the team turned to the franchise tag every single season. DeMarcus Lawrence and Dak Prescott were each tagged twice, while Dalton Schultz and Tony Pollard received it once each. In both Lawrence’s and Prescott’s cases, their second tag eventually led to long-term contract extensions.
In fact, the most recent instance of the Cowboys offering a long-term agreement with a player after placing the franchise tag on him for the first time came in 2015, when wide receiver Dez Bryant finalized his deal. All that said, even if the Dallas Cowboys decide to place the franchise tag on Pickens, it doesn’t automatically guarantee that the star receiver will remain on the roster in 2026.
Here’s the thing: the franchise tag cannot stop the receiver from joining another team. However, any franchise that signs him under those circumstances would be required to send two first-round draft picks to the Dallas Cowboys as compensation. Plus, such tag-and-trade arrangements are not unheard of.
For instance, that’s exactly what the Green Bay Packers did with Davante Adams in 2022. They sent him to Las Vegas in exchange for a first- and second-round draft pick. So, it will be interesting to see how Dallas deals with Pickens.
Will George Pickens receive a long-term deal?
Stephen Jones’ answer on George Pickens’ future has made a lot of fans sigh in relief. With Dak Prescott at the helm, the wide receiver duo will likely be active in 2026. But there is a hidden twist beneath this. What will happen to Pickens’ long-term deal? When the free agency chatter began, people expected owner Jerry Jones to give Pickens a long-term contract, especially after his performance in 2025.
But there’s no news of the owner speaking about anything long-term. For now, it looks like the receiver will be playing under the franchise tag. In fact, Stephen Jones declined to outline any specific timetable for finalizing a long-term extension with George Pickens after the franchise tag is applied.
So, once the next season ends, similar contract discussions will begin. At that point, a long-term contract will be the only solution for them to keep Pickens. Perhaps the owners want to see how he performs in the upcoming year, and based on it, they will offer him a contract.
The franchise tag will also be a clever move by the Cowboys’ owner. After all, the franchise has spent almost $30 million over its cap space. So, providing a long-term contract could make things worse at a time when they are looking to rebuild their offense.
The franchise was one of the league’s worst teams on defense, and so splashing big money on an edge rusher and a safety is very much possible. All that said, Pickens surely played well enough to earn a hefty contract.
George Pickens stood up to the Cowboys’ expectations
It has only been a year since the Cowboys acquired Pickens in a trade with the Pittsburgh Steelers. But the wide receiver did not take long to settle down, becoming one of the most crucial players in the franchise’s offense. In 17 games, he recorded 93 receptions for 1,429 receiving yards and scored nine touchdowns.
Thanks to this phenomenal performance, he earned his first All-Pro selection. Moreover, he has formed a partnership with fellow wide receiver CeeDee Lamb.
The duo’s contributions made the franchise the second-best team in total offense (391.9 YPG) and passing offense (266.3 YPG). So, despite the speculation, Jerry and Stephen Jones do not have any intention of parting ways with Pickens. But the chapter is far from done.
If Pickens were tagged but chose not to play under it, and both sides don’t come to an agreement by mid-July, he would have to forfeit $28 million in fully guaranteed salary and also sit out the entire season. It remains to be seen what Pickens’ future holds.