The [Dallas Cowboys](https://www.sportingnews.com/us/nfl/dallas-cowboys) seem to want to keep George Pickens.
George Pickens seems to want to stay with the Cowboys.
Should be that easy, right? Well, maybe not.
Wide receiver money has skyrocketed in recent years, and the Cowboys are already paying CeeDee Lamb a ton.
Pickens is a free agent, and the Cowboys may have to act quickly to ensure he isn't leaving in the near-term. The easy way to do that is the franchise tag, but that isn't a long-term solution.
[ESPN's Todd Archer shared](https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/47908741/2026-nfl-franchise-tag-candidates-kyle-pitts-sr-george-pickens-breece-hall) a key point about what Dallas is trying to do:
"The most recent player to be tagged for the first time by the Cowboys before agreeing to a long-term agreement in the same window was Dez Bryant in 2015."
Dallas does a pretty good job in general of keeping its star players around on fresh contracts, so Pickens certainly would fit the trend for Jerry Jones.
The problem is that sometimes those negotiations take quite a while to get done.
"Quarterback Dak Prescott, coach Brian Schottenheimer and owner/general manager Jerry Jones have also said they want Pickens to return," Archer writes. "Pickens has stated he would like to remain in Dallas. But to get to a long-term deal, the franchise tag is the first vehicle to do so. At the very least, it guarantees Pickens will be a Cowboy through 2026, although it opens up the possibility of him not taking part in the offseason program, minicamp and/or training camp."
The Cowboys' passing attack was potent in 2025. The defense is what needs upgrading.
But to ensure Dallas maintains a solid ceiling, keeping Pickens seems to be an important task, and it's one that will be in the spotlight throughout the early stages of the offseason.
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