Dallas Cowboys receiver George Pickens is in the final year of his contract.
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Dallas Cowboys receiver George Pickens is in the final year of his contract.
George Pickens is letting his play do the talking as his contract year unfolds.
The Dallas Cowboys receiver is in the midst of a breakout season, but he’s leaving his future in Jerry Jones’ hands as extension talks have yet to begin.
Pickens has been one of the Cowboys’ most reliable playmakers this season, hauling in 43 passes for 685 yards and six touchdowns — already a career high. The timing couldn’t be better for the 24-year-old receiver, who is entering the final year of his rookie contract and making a strong case for a significant payday.
Despite his impressive production, Pickens said there’s been no movement yet on a new deal. He told reporters that the decision is up to Cowboys owner Jerry Jones and that all he can do is keep producing on the field.
“That’s kinda up to what (Jerry Jones) wants to do,” Pickens said. “All I can do is perform at my best.”
The Cowboys traded for Pickens this offseason in what turned out to be a major score. Dallas sent a 2026 third-round pick and a 2027 fifth-round pick to the Pittsburgh Steelers for Pickens and a 2027 sixth-round pick.
Cowboys WR George Pickens Has Support From CeeDee Lamb
Pickens’ co-star in the wide receiver room has been CeeDee Lamb. The four-time Pro Bowler has had nothing but good things to say about Pickens and has expressed multiple times that he’d like him to be a long-term piece for the Cowboys.
“Yeah I absolutely want him to come back. That’s my guy, I feel we have grown this bond in a matter of minutes,” Lamb said. “I want what’s best for him whether that’s him making the most money in the NFL at the position or whatever that looks like. But I do want him to win.”
Lamb knows a thing or two about negotiations with the Cowboys and Jones. He missed all of training camp and the preseason last year before landing a four-year, $136 million extension. His advice to Pickens?
“Stay positive,” Lamb said. “Your money is gonna come.”
Cowboys Says George Pickens Extension ‘Topic of Interest’
Jones has not offered a clear answer on what the Cowboys plan to do with Pickens. However, he noted that Pickens’ success has generated some discussion about his future within the building in Dallas.
“Any and everything about George Pickens is crossing our mind,” Jones said. “It certainly can generate conversations between people in our building without George being in the room. And it can cause a lot of conversation I’m sure around the league. The answer is certainly he’s a topic of interest and discussion because of the success he’s having.”
The knock on Pickens was his personality and how he would fit into the locker room. So far, he’s been a model teammate, which Jones is taking into consideration.
“I can’t tell you how proud I am, personally, for George. Because he is absolutely, as exciting as he’s been on the field, he’s been that kind of teammate,” Jones said recently. “And he’s inspirational, our coaches have enjoyed coaching him.”
The Cowboys head into Week 9 with a 3-4-1 record. They’ll face the Arizona Cardinals on Monday night as a slight 2.5-point favorite.