Dallas Cowboys receiver George Pickens has been exactly what the franchise wanted him to be when they traded for him in the offseason.
Granted, no one likely expected Pickens to be playing at a near All-Pro level, but there's no denying he is Brian Schottenheimer's hottest weapon right now entering Thanksgiving.
As such, George's future has been a topic of hot discussion, and we have heard from Schottenheimer, Dak Prescott, and even Jerry Jones on how they love Pickens and ideally want him to remain a Cowboy beyond 2025.
So that's nothing new, and we also know that a franchise tag at roughly $28 million is also in play here.
And for ESPN's Jeremy Fowler, he's just laid out all the facts about Dallas' love for Pickens as it pertains to a possible extension in the offseason.
“The Cowboys have genuine interest in extending Pickens, and Pickens is very happy in Dallas, where he has caught 67 passes for 1,054 yards and 8 touchdowns in 11 games," Fowler writes. "But there have been no formal discussions about a long-term deal yet (it's early). Dallas is not afraid of the franchise tag number -- which should fall somewhere around $28 million in 2026 -- but hasn't determined whether to use it (again, it's early).
"The lack of fear about that number illustrates how strong the interest in Pickens should be in the offseason.”
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Cowboys have big Pickens decision to make in offseason
We know that the Cowboys already have a lot of money tied up with CeeDee Lamb and Dak Prescott, not to mention Quinnen Williams, Kenny Clark, and Osa Odighizuwa all making near the top of the market money.
So, getting Pickens under the salary cap with a contract of at least $30 million APY is tough, but it is easily doable if the Cowboys want to.
Granted, a franchise tag next season could be the play here, with the Cowboys wanting to see George back it up for another season before signing him to a long-term deal.
So, there is plenty to think about, and also this. If Dallas re-signs Pickens and keeps Javonte Williams as well, the offense is set, leaving the front office to fully focus on the defense in free agency and the draft in the offseason.
This Pickens decision will tell us a lot about the Cowboys' front office folks.
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